Strait of Hormuz Will Still Close as US Keeps The Blockade – Iran
Strait of Hormuz Still Closed
A senior delegation from America—JD Vance, flanked by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, has been at the center of fast-moving diplomatic developments. Iran has stalled its decision, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) blockade on the Strait of Hormuz continues. Tehran says the blockade will only be lifted once the U.S. ends its own naval restrictions.
For more, we heard from our Washington correspondent, Fraser Jackson.
It’s been a busy Sunday in the U.S., with intense back-and-forth developments. The day began with two social media posts from Donald Trump, warning that if Iran does not come to the negotiating table, he could target civilian infrastructure such as bridges and power plants, something widely viewed as a potential war crime.
Trump also announced that he would send a delegation to Islamabad for a second round of talks. Initially, senior U.S. officials stated that JD Vance would lead the delegation. However, Trump later told multiple sources that Vance would not be going. Shortly after, the White House contradicted the president, confirming that Vance would indeed attend, alongside Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
When questioned about the contradiction, the White House simply responded: “Things change.” The U.S. delegation was expected to travel to Islamabad for talks that could take place as early as Tuesday, ahead of a Wednesday deadline for ceasefire discussions.
However, Iran has now stated it will not attend.
Iranian state media reports that due to what it describes as unreasonable and unrealistic U.S. demands, frequent policy shifts, and constant contradictions, as well as the ongoing U.S. blockade, there is no clear prospect for productive negotiations.
Additionally, Iran suspects the U.S. may be engaging in deception and preparing for a surprise military escalation. According to Axios and a source who spoke to Al Jazeera correspondent Kimberly Halkett, Tehran believes it is on the verge of a new phase of conflict.
This marks a sharp shift from just hours earlier, when another round of talks seemed likely. Now, Iran appears to be bracing for renewed fighting. In related developments, French shipping company CMA CGM confirmed that one of its vessels came under fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.
Separately, Donald Trump claimed that the United States had seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the strait after it attempted to breach the naval blockade. He added that a U.S. destroyer struck the vessel while it was trying to evade restrictions. Washington had earlier stated that it had already forced 23 ships to return to their original ports. We will bring you more updates as the situation develops.
