Tehran: Iran continues to maintain a hardline stance towards the United States, with a senior Iranian official reiterating that it has not requested a ceasefire and that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible, while the US continues to blockade Iranian ports.
According to Thai News Agency, Mohammad Bagher Galibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, stated yesterday that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible as long as the United States continues to clearly violate the ceasefire agreement. He criticized the US blockade of Iranian ports as a serious violation of the agreement and a way of holding the global economy hostage. He also condemned Israel’s so-called “warm-up” tactics on all fronts, including in Lebanon. This aligns with the views of Iranian President Masoud Peseshkyan, who said that the US’s breach of promises, the blockade of Iranian ports, and its threatening rhetoric are major obstacles to genuine negotiations.
On the same day, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy seized two cargo ships, one flying the flag of Panama and the other Liberian, claiming they had violated maritime laws and switched off their navigation systems in an attempt to secretly escape the strait.
Previously, President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the ceasefire on April 21, but insisted that the blockade of Iranian ports would continue until Iranian leaders offered a single, clear deal. Regarding Iran’s seizure of two cargo ships, the White House viewed it as an act of piracy but did not consider it a violation of the ceasefire because the ships were not U.S. or Israeli vessels.
Originally, both sides were scheduled to begin a second round of peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, this week, but the negotiations stalled after Iran adopted a hardline stance and the United States canceled Vice President Jadde Vance’s trip. However, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric stated that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the US announcement of an extension of the ceasefire, viewing it as a significant step in de-escalating tensions and opening up space for diplomacy and trust-building between Iran and the US. He also expressed full support for Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate further talks and hoped that these efforts would create conditions for a comprehensive and lasting resolution to the conflict.