Efforts step up for US-Iran talks as truce holds and blockade begins

Highlights

• US says “the ball is in the Iranian court” as talks stall
• Pakistan working to restart negotiations and extend ceasefire
• US naval blockade begins at Strait of Hormuz amid truce
• Iran accuses US of “excessive demands” in failed talks

THE US said “the ball is in the Iranian court” on ending the West Asia war, as efforts increased to restart negotiations after weekend talks failed to produce a deal.

US Vice President JD Vance left talks hosted by Pakistan on Sunday, saying he had handed Tehran the “final and best offer.” Pakistan is now working to bring both sides back for a second round of talks, with officials saying efforts are also underway to extend the current ceasefire.

“Efforts are underway to bring both parties back to the table, of course we want them back in Islamabad, but the venue is not final yet,” a senior Pakistani source said to AFP.

“The meeting could take place soon though dates have yet to be confirmed.”

“We are also working to get the ceasefire extended beyond the current deadline to allow for additional time.”

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A second official said talks could take place before the ceasefire deadline ends next week, adding: “No date and venue has been decided yet.”

A two-week truce agreed last Wednesday remains in place. This is despite a US naval blockade of Iranian ports beginning at the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had already restricted to selected shipping.

President Donald Trump said Iranian representatives had reached out after the talks.

“I can tell you that we've been called by the other side. They'd like to make a deal. Very badly, very badly,” he said.

Vance said Washington had made its position clear.

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“I really think the ball is in the Iranian court, because we put a lot on the table. We actually made very clear what our red lines were.”

“It’s one thing for the Iranians to say that they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. It's another thing for us to put in place the mechanism to ensure that's not going to happen.”

Iran has blamed the United States for the failure of talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said:

“Unfortunately, we witnessed the continued excessive demands of the American side in the negotiations, which led to the failure to achieve a result.”

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said: “We have clearly announced the terms of the ceasefire and we will adhere to it.”

Iran also said it “will continue to talk only within the framework of international law.”

During talks, the United States sought a 20-year suspension of Iran’s uranium enrichment programme, while Iran proposed a five-year pause, which US officials rejected, according to reports.

Diplomatic activity continued, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visiting China and China’s president Xi Jinping saying his country would play a “constructive role” and promote talks while calling for sovereignty to be “respected.”

The US blockade of Iranian ports drew reactions from multiple countries. Iran called it a “grave violation of its sovereignty,” while its military warned that if its harbours are threatened “no port in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea will be safe.”

US Central Command said the blockade covered “vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” but added that vessels transiting to non-Iranian ports would not be impeded.

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Trump said US forces would act against Iranian vessels. He warned that any “fast attack ships” approaching the blockade “they will be immediately ELIMINATED.”

Qatar’s prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani called for freedom of navigation and urged both sides not to use maritime routes “as a tool for pressure.”

China said “maintaining its security, stability, and unimpeded flow is in the common interest of the international community,” while UN chief Antonio Guterres called for freedom of navigation and highlighted 20,000 mariners in the Gulf.

France and Britain plan to host a conference on a “peaceful multinational mission” to secure the strait, which president Emmanuel Macron said would be “strictly defensive.”

Markets reacted to hopes of a deal, with oil prices falling and stocks rising. Trump also said:

“34 Ships went through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, which is by far the highest number since this foolish closure began.”

Separately, Trump said he had “nothing to apologise for” after criticising Pope Leo XIV, adding:

“Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I'm doing with regard to Iran, and you cannot have a nuclear Iran.”

(With inputs from agencies)