Iran makes drastic move against Trump, derails talks ahead of meeting
US President Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
Iran refused to hold a second round of peace talks with the United States. Tehran cites unrealistic US demands and an ongoing maritime blockade as the main reasons for the withdrawal, according to Sky News and Iran's state news agency IRNA.
Reasons for abandoning dialogue
Iran's state news agency said Tehran's absence from the talks was caused by "Washington's excessive demands and constant shifts in stance."
The Iranian side also accused the United States of making contradictory statements and of maintaining a maritime blockade, which it says makes further dialogue impossible.
The decision to cancel the meeting was announced shortly after US President Donald Trump said preparations were underway for a new round of negotiations.
US Vice President JD Vance was expected to arrive in Pakistan tomorrow as part of an American delegation.
Escalation amid ceasefire
Sky News notes that tensions are rising as the two-week ceasefire agreement between the countries is set to expire this Wednesday.
Although the truce has largely held, tensions increased after Iran decided to cancel the planned reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran claims the US blockade of Iranian ports is a direct violation of existing agreements.
At the same time, Donald Trump has previously warned he is ready to take out Iran's critical infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if no deal is reached.
Iran declares victory over US
Earlier, Tehran had already taken a firm stance toward Washington. In particular, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared a "victory" over the United States.
According to him, the United States failed because it was unable to overthrow the current regime or gain control over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The negotiation process has also previously been in crisis due to the nuclear issue. Iranian authorities officially refused to transfer enriched uranium to the United States, citing unwillingness to hold face-to-face meetings under current conditions.
This decision dealt a serious blow to the Trump administration's efforts to reach a new agreement.
