The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has added to the ongoing ambiguity regarding a second round of discussions between Iranian and American negotiators, as per officials knowledgeable about the situation.
Iran had first communicated privately to the US its willingness to send a negotiation team to Islamabad to restart discussions, and indicated they anticipated Vice President JD Vance to once again head the American delegation, the officials stated.
If Vance was present, Iran indicated it would dispatch Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who headed the previous round of discussions.
However, since that time, Iran has indicated that the U.S. embargo on Iranian ports must be abolished before any further direct talks, officials stated.
This is one of the reasons for a noticeable delay in the negotiations. White House officials stated that none of the American delegation, which includes Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, have left the United States.
During a Tuesday morning interview, Trump appeared hesitant to reopen the waterway without an agreement.
“We won’t open the strait until a final agreement is in place,” he stated on Xenix News . He stated that Iran replied by asserting: “No, no, we wish to keep this strait open.”
“I told them, ‘We’re not opening,’” Trump stated
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