Pezeshkian blames US 'blockade' for impasse

WASHINGTON/TEHRAN:

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that the "breach of commitments, blockade and threats" were the main obstacles to genuine negotiations.

"Tehran wants to continue peace talks but the US' breach of commitments, blockade and threats are (the) main obstacles to genuine negotiations," Pezeshkian said in a post on X on Wednesday.

The Iranian president also accused the US of inconsistency, saying, the "world sees your endless hypocritical rhetoric and contradiction between claims and actions".

The tweet comes a day after US President Donald Trump said he would extend the ceasefire with Iran until Tehran submits a proposal to end the conflict permanently. In the meantime, Trump said, the American military would continue the blockade.

Also, Iran said it had captured two container ships seeking to exit the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after firing on them and another vessel, in its first seizures since its war with the United States and Israel began in February.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the seizures and added its Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy had warned that any disruption to order and safety in the strait would be considered a "red line."

The seizure of one of the ships, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca, was confirmed by Montenegro's minister of maritime affairs, who said four Montenegrin seafarers were on board and that they and the rest of the crew were safe.

"Negotiations between the shipping company and the Iranian side are ongoing, and the relevant state authorities are in constant contact with the crew," the minister, Filip Radulovic, said on X.

The IRGC accused the MSC Francesca and the Liberia-flagged Epaminondas of operating without required permits and tampering with their navigation systems.

The Greek-operated Epaminondas had reported being fired upon about 20 nautical miles northwest of Oman. It said it had sustained damage to its bridge after being hit by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades from an IRGC gunboat, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations and maritime security sources.

Greek operator Technomar Shipping Inc confirmed the attack in a statement and said that its crew were safe.

The attacks occurred while the three ships, some switching their navigation systems off, attempted to exit the Strait of Hormuz in a row in the early morning hours, they added. The seizures were the first since 2024, when Iran had captured the container ship MSC Aries in Hormuz.

There was no immediate information about what, if any, cargo the ships were carrying.

Oil prices reversed course to head higher after the incidents. "The Iran war and strait closing are unprecedented and there is no line of sight on a final outcome and timing, creating the potential for more headline noise and volatility," Jonathan Chappell, senior managing director at investment bank Evercore, wrote in a note.

The strait usually sees about 130 vessels a day enter and exit the Gulf and handles about 20% of the world's daily oil and liquefied natural gas supply.

That fell to about nine vessels per day after the war began, rising to about 20 during a brief reopening announced and then revoked by Iran last week, according to data provider AXS Marine.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that President Donald Trump wanted to see a "unified" response from Iran's leadership to US proposals to end hostilities.

Leavitt told reporters that Trump had not set a deadline for an end to the ceasefire extension he announced on Tuesday.

Earlier, Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News' "The Story with Martha MacCallum" that Iran must agree to turn over its enriched uranium to the United States as part of negotiations to end the war.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, said a "complete ceasefire" would be meaningful only if it is not undermined by a naval blockade and if Israel's actions across multiple fronts are halted.

"A complete ceasefire only makes sense if it is not violated by a naval blockade and holding the world economy hostage, and if the Zionists' warmongering on all fronts is stopped," Ghalibaf wrote Wednesday in a post on X. He added that "reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not possible with a blatant violation of the ceasefire."

Ghalibaf, who led the Iranian side in the latest negotiations with the United States, also rejected the idea that pressure would force Iranian concessions. "They did not achieve their goals through military aggression, nor will they through bullying," he wrote. "The only way is to accept the rights of the Iranian nation."

Meanwhile, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Wednesday that the Islamic republic appreciated Pakistan's efforts to end the Middle East war, without commenting on a ceasefire extension announced by the United States.

He expressed these views while answering reporters' questions, a statement by Iran's foreign ministry said, adding that Baqaei was asked about Pakistan's request to extend a ceasefire agreed between Tehran and Washington on April 8.

Iranian foreign ministry's statement said that while "expressing gratitude for Pakistan's gracious efforts and mediation attempts to end the imposed war and establish peace in the region", Baqaei stressed that Tehran "is taking the necessary measures to safeguard Iran's national interests and security".

He added that Iranian armed forces stood "ready to comprehensively and decisively defend the nation's integrity against any threat or hostility".

When asked about the possibility of a second round of talks with the US, the statement said, Baqaei replied: "Diplomacy is a tool to secure national interests and security, and whenever we conclude that the necessary and logical groundwork is in place to use this tool for realising national interests and consolidating the Iranian nation's achievements in frustrating enemies from achieving their sinister goals, we will take action."

He emphasised that Iran had not initiated the war and that all of Tehran's actions "have been carried out in line with its inherent right to legitimate self-defence against military aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime".

Baqaei was further quoted as saying that "Iran will use every opportunity and capacity to hold aggressors accountable, secure Iran's rights - including delivering justice for perpetrators and instigators of war crimes - and demand compensation".

(With additional input from News Desk)