Donald Trump’s decision to send US officials to Islamabad for further talks with Iran on Monday, just 24 hours after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, signals to Tehran that the strategic waterway remains a bargaining chip. It also reinforces Iran’s view that the US president’s chaotic approach to diplomacy heightens the need for Tehran to act calmly and strategically—two qualities it believes he lacks.
The distrust surrounding US-Iran relations has deepened. 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, which it considers a breach of the ceasefire. Iran’s three preconditions for further talks were a ceasefire in Lebanon, an end to the US blockade on Iranian ports, and progress on asset releases.
Iran and Pakistani mediators viewed the process as a reciprocal step-by-step confidence-building measure. The imposition of a two-week ceasefire in Lebanon by Trump was seen as significant, and Iran responded with a partial lifting of its 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, falsely claimed Iran had fully reopened the strait, and suggested Iran had agreed to hand over its enriched uranium—giving the impression of surrender.
The backlash in Tehran was immediate. Iran’s foreign ministry issued clarifications, and delegation leader Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf accused Trump of lying but left the door open for diplomacy. Once it became clear the blockade would not be lifted, Iran announced on Saturday that the strait was fully closed again. Despite this, Trump opted to try diplomacy once more, sending officials to Islamabad. Conflicting reports about Vice-President JD Vance’s attendance added to the sense of chaos.
The substantive issue—Iran’s right to enrich uranium—remains unresolved. A possible solution may involve a framework agreement that defers such discussions in favour of avoiding war, perhaps at an upcoming Trump-Iran summit.
