Efforts to ease tensions between the United States and Iran continue as a fragile ceasefire risks collapsing after the U.S. seized a boat bound for Iran at the weekend and Tehran closes the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile Tehran has refused to attend a new round of peace talks in Pakistan.
Tehran accuses Washington of breaching a two-week pause by continuing with a naval blockade and intercepting ships heading to its ports.
A research scholar at Western Caspian University, Sheraz Mehmood Khan, told AnewZ the situation is changing “hour by hour”, with tensions rising on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The ceasefire was only meant to last a few days,” he said. “Now we are seeing actions from both sides that are undermining it.”
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but vital waterway for global oil supplies, has become the centre of the crisis. The U.S. has tightened a blockade on Iranian shipping, while Iran has responded with its own restrictions.
Commercial vessels, including European ships, have been caught in the middle.
Disruption in the strait has already pushed up oil prices and unsettled global markets.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he's spoken with Iran’s leadership, while he said the country’s military has helped facilitate earlier talks by providing secure corridors for delegations.
Khan said Pakistan is in a rare position of trust with both sides. It shares a long border and close ties with Iran, while also maintaining strong relations with the U.S.
“Pakistan can offer a platform where both sides feel secure enough to talk,” he said.
But mediation alone may not be enough he said. Khan pointed to China as a potential guarantor of any deal, given its economic interests in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open.
He noted that the waterway is crucial for China’s energy imports and its wider Belt and Road investments.
With the ceasefire nearing its end on Tuesday, the next 24 hours are seen as critical.
Officials in Islamabad are preparing for talks, though it remains unclear whether Iran will attend.
Rising fuel prices and fears of a wider conflict are being felt far beyond the Gulf.
“Everyone wants this to end,” Khan said. “But right now, trust is very low, and that makes any agreement much harder.”
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The U.S. Navy has forcibly intercepted and boarded the Iranian cargo ship TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to breach the ongoing naval blockade. President Trump confirmed that the vessel was neutralised and seized by Marines following a direct strike on its engine room.
Two Indian-flagged ships were shot at in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, India's Foreign Ministry said, as Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again, less than 24 hours after reopening the 167km long sea passage, which is essential for global trade.
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Global leaders and diplomats gathered in southern Türkiye on 17 April for the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, focusing on uncertainty, conflict, and the future of global cooperation.
Thousands of people gathered in Tehran on Sunday night to show support for the government, with many voicing strong distrust of the United States. Many said they were bracing for more hardship, but remained defiant.
Concerns grew on Monday (20 April) that the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, due to expire on Tuesday, might not hold after Washington’s Navy seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade of Iranian ports, with Tehran vowing to retaliate.
Iran accuses the United States of breaching a ceasefire after a commercial ship was seized in the Gulf of Oman, vowing retaliation, as Israel warns south Lebanon residents to avoid restricted areas.
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are rising as a ceasefire nears expiry with no agreement in place, amid reported attacks on vessels that have heightened fears of renewed conflict and disruption to global oil supplies.
Iran’s top negotiator has said recent talks with the United States have shown progress, but that major differences remain over nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz, as diplomatic efforts continue alongside escalating regional instability.
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