U.S. officials have revealed that President Donald Trump has instructed his negotiating team to pause talks with Iran for now, despite what they described as "positive discussions" with Tehran recently.
The officials clarified that Trump remains unsatisfied with Iran's refusal to meet his demands and prefers to await new signs of the Iranian leadership's readiness to strike a deal before resuming dialogue, according to a CNN report on Tuesday.
They also indicated that Washington aims to increase economic pressure on Iran at this stage, driven by a belief within the administration that tightening sanctions and economic isolation might eventually lead Tehran to accept U.S. conditions to end the standoff.
"No Current or Scheduled Talks, Blockade Remains"
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump announced that "there are no ongoing or scheduled talks with Iran."
In a post on his "Truth Social" account, he added that the maritime blockade on Iranian ports would remain fully operational.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, he noted that it is "open and functioning normally, with all naval mines removed or detonated," as he put it.
Conversely, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated in a televised speech that "the Strait of Hormuz will not open unless the U.S. fulfills its commitments in the interim memorandum of understanding, including lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian funds, lifting oil sanctions, and ending threats and military operations on all fronts, along with other conditions pledged by Washington."
Ghalibaf further asserted on the "X" platform that increased U.S. pressure on Tehran will not result in concessions that were never part of the agreement initially.
Complex Issues
Since the outbreak of the conflict, Iranian threats to shipping have paralyzed traffic in the vital Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has required vessels to gain prior permission to cross and sought to impose service charges, which Washington and other regional parties have rejected.
Meanwhile, the U.S. imposed a naval blockade on all Iranian ports, preventing the entry or exit of ships, thanks to the presence of U.S. aircraft carriers in the region.
The sides were supposed to reach a comprehensive agreement on several complex issues, foremost of which were Iran's nuclear program and the management of the Strait of Hormuz, within 60 days following the signing of a memorandum of understanding last June.
However, talks stalled before they even began on July 7, leading the deadline to pass on Monday without any progress, as verbal sparring between Tehran and Washington intensified.