Agencies- US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US military had seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade, while Iran said it would not participate in a second round of peace talks despite Trump’s threat of renewed airstrikes.
The developments indicated that peace may not come soon to the region, and a weeks-long blockade of marine traffic that has driven global oil prices higher likewise might remain in place.
The US has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has lifted and then reimposed its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which before the war began almost two months ago handled roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
Trump said on Sunday that the US military took control of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that had tried to get past the blockade. “We have full custody of their ship, and are seeing what’s on board!” he wrote on social media, adding that US forces blew a hole in the vessel’s engine room.
Trump had earlier warned Iran that the United States would destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran if Tehran rejects his terms, continuing a pattern of such threats throughout the war.
Iran has said that if the United States were to attack its civilian infrastructure it would hit power stations and desalination plants of Gulf Arab neighbors.
Iranian state media suggest new talks won’t take place
There was no comment from Iranian officials directly addressing Trump’s announcement of talks. However, Iranian state media, without citing anyone beyond unnamed sources, issued brief reports suggesting that they would not happen.
Minutes after the ship seizure was announced, Iranian state media reported on President Masoud Pezeshkian’s phone conversation with Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, earlier Sunday. US actions, including bullying and unreasonable behavior, have led to increased suspicion that the US will repeat previous patterns and “betray diplomacy,” the reports cited Pezeshkian as saying.
Iran’s official IRNA state news agency, meanwhile, reported that Tehran had rejected new peace talks, citing the ongoing blockade and Washington’s shifting positions and “excessive demands.”
State broadcaster IRIB on Sunday cited Iranian sources as saying “there are currently no plans to participate in the next round of Iran-US talks.”
The Fars and Tasnim news agencies had earlier cited anonymous sources as saying “the overall atmosphere cannot be assessed as very positive,” adding that lifting the US blockade was a precondition for negotiations.
Interrupted talks
Two previous attempts at talks — last June and earlier this year — were interrupted by Israeli and US attacks.
On another phone call, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, that recent US actions, rhetoric and contradictions were signs of “bad intentions and lack of seriousness in diplomacy,” Iran’s state broadcaster said.
Pakistan did not confirm a second round of talks, but authorities had begun tightening security in Islamabad. A regional official involved in the efforts said mediators were finalizing preparations and US advance security teams were on the ground. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss preparations with the media.
