The United States said on Wednesday its military had completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea, even though President Donald Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week.
Trump said negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials could resume in Pakistan in the next two days and Vice President JD Vance, who led weekend talks that ended without a breakthrough, said he felt positive about where things stood.
"I think you’re going to be watching an amazing two days ahead," Trump told ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, adding he did not think it would be necessary to extend a two-week ceasefire that ends on 21 April.
"It could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they can rebuild," Trump said, according to a post by Karl on X. "They really do have a different regime now. No matter what, we took out the radicals."
Officials from Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf also said negotiating teams from the U.S. and Iran could return to Pakistan later this week, although one senior Iranian source said no date had been set.
Despite the optimistic note, more vessels were being turned back under the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, including a U.S.-sanctioned and Chinese-owned tanker Rich Starry that was making its way back to the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after exiting the Persian Gulf.
Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of the U.S. Central Command, said American forces had completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea, which he said fuels 90% of Iran's economy.
"In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea," Cooper said in a post on X.
Earlier the U.S. military said it had intercepted eight Iran-linked oil tankers since the start of the blockade on Monday, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Trump, speaking to the New York Post on Tuesday (14 April), said his negotiators are likely to be back, thanks largely to the "great job" Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was doing to moderate the talks.
Later on Tuesday, at an event in Georgia, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Trump wanted to make a "grand bargain" with Iran but there was a lot of mistrust between the two countries.
"You are not going to solve that problem overnight," he said.
The signs of diplomatic engagement to end the conflict that began on 28 February helped calm oil markets, pressing benchmark prices down for a second day on Wednesday. Asian stocks rose while the safe-haven dollar stabilised after falling for a seventh straight session overnight.
The war has prompted Iran to effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global waterway for crude and gas transport and cut shipments from the Gulf to global buyers, particularly in Asia and Europe.
About 5,000 people have died in the hostilities, including about 3,000 in Iran and 2,000 in Lebanon according to official figures.
Iran's nuclear ambitions were a key sticking point at the weekend talks. The U.S. had proposed a 20-year suspension of all nuclear activity by Iran, while Tehran had suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.
Speaking in Seoul, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said the length of any moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment was a political decision and it was possible Tehran might accept a compromise as a confidence-building act.
The U.S. has also pressed for any enriched nuclear material to be removed from Iran, while Tehran has demanded that international sanctions against it be removed.
One source involved in the negotiations in Pakistan said back-channel talks since the weekend had produced progress in closing that gap, bringing the two sides closer to a deal that could be put forward at a new round of talks.
However, in a major complication for peace prospects, Israel has continued to attack Lebanon as it targets Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group. Israel and the U.S. say that campaign is not covered by the ceasefire, while Iran insists it is.
On Tuesday, the UK, Canada, Japan and seven other countries condemned the killings of United Nation peacekeepers in Lebanon and called for "an urgent end to hostilities".
The statement comes after the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers last month. The countries welcomed the ceasefire agreed between the U.S., Israel and Iran.
Eurovision Song Contest once again proved how unpredictable its outcome can be, with Bulgaria’s Dara turning a late surge into a...
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the of...
A drone strike caused a fire at the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE, officials said on Sunday, with ...
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency o...
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has held a series of high‑level meetings with world leaders and del...
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning that the situation poses a significant risk of cross-border spread in Central Africa.
The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) opened in Baku with ministers, UN officials and urban policy leaders. Participants call for action on housing, sustainable development and resilient cities, as rapid urbanisation is placing pressure on infrastructure, services and living conditions.
Thousands of displaced families in Gaza are facing growing infestations of rats and insects as worsening sanitation conditions and mounting waste deepen the humanitarian crisis across overcrowded camps, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
At least four people have been killed in a major Ukrainian drone attack on Russian territory, including the Moscow region, which authorities say faced its largest aerial assault in more than a year.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
A drone strike caused a fire at the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE, officials said on Sunday, with no injuries or radiation leaks reported. Saudi Arabia also said it had intercepted three drones. Meanwhile President Donald Trump urged Iran to act "fast" as diplomatic efforts stall.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 45-day extension of a ceasefire that has reduced fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The agreement came as two days of Washington-facilitated talks concluded with a decision to hold further meetings in the coming weeks.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Washington shows seriousness. His remarks came as talks on Iran’s nuclear programme continued, with Trump and Xi also opposing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment