Donald Trump's decision to send US officials to Islamabad for further talks with Iran, just 24 hours after Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz, signals to Iran that the waterway remains a strategic bargaining chip. The move also reinforces Tehran's view that the US president's chaotic diplomacy requires Iran to act calmly and strategically—qualities it believes Trump lacks.
Iranian state media reported on Sunday that Iran would not join the peace talks, citing Washington's excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, and the ongoing naval blockade. Iran's three conditions for entering talks were a ceasefire in Lebanon, an end to the US blockade on Iranian ports, and progress on asset releases.
Iran and mediators in Pakistan viewed the process as a step-by-step reciprocal exchange. The imposition of a two-week ceasefire in Lebanon by Trump was seen as significant, and was expected to lead to a partial lifting of Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz—announced by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday. In return, Iran expected Trump to lift the blockade. However, Trump's tweets on Friday kept the blockade in place, claimed Iran had fully reopened the strait, and said Iran had agreed to hand over its enriched uranium to the US, giving the impression of surrender.
The backlash in Tehran was inevitable. Iran's foreign ministry clarified its position, and delegation leader Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf accused Trump of lying but left the door open for diplomacy. When it became clear the blockade would not be lifted, Iran fully closed the strait again. Trump then opted to try diplomacy once more, despite conflicting reports about US delegation attendance.
The confusion does not bring either side closer to resolving the core issue of Iran's right to enrich uranium. A possible solution may be a framework agreement that defers such discussions in the context of an absence of war, possibly at a forthcoming summit between Trump and his counterpart.
