Khaberni - A senior Iranian official said on Monday that Tehran is considering attending peace talks with the United States in Pakistan, following moves by Islamabad to end an American blockade of Iranian ports, which is a major obstacle to Iran's return to participation in peace efforts, as a ceasefire nearing two weeks comes to an end.
However, the official emphasized that Iran has not yet made a decision, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that "the ongoing American violations of the ceasefire" represent a major obstacle to continuing the diplomatic process.
Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in a telephone call that although Iran takes all aspects of the issue into consideration, it has not yet decided on the steps it will take next.
The chief Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused American President Donald Trump on Monday evening via the X platform of increasing pressure on Tehran through the blockade and violations of the ceasefire, stating that Iran refuses to negotiate under threat.
The two-week ceasefire is scheduled to end this week in a conflict that has taken thousands of lives and severely damaged the global economy, particularly energy markets.
It appears that the ceasefire is in jeopardy after Washington said it had detained an Iranian cargo ship attempting to break the embargo imposed on Iranian ports, which led to Iran promising a response.
In the Islamabad talks, Trump hopes to reach an agreement that may help prevent further increases in oil prices and sharp declines in stock markets.
Iran hopes to exploit its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor for global energy supplies, to reach an agreement that prevents the resumption of war and offers relief from long-standing sanctions and some flexibility in its nuclear program.
The senior Iranian official stated that Tehran is "positively considering" its participation, a clear shift in tone compared to previous statements that ruled out participation and vowed to respond to American aggression.
The official added that Pakistan, which is playing a mediating role, is making positive efforts to end the American blockade and ensure Iran’s participation.
Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran on April 7th, without specifying an exact end date.
A Pakistani source involved in the talks stated that the ceasefire will end at 8 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, midnight GMT, or 3:30 AM Thursday in Iran.
Trump posted on social media platforms that he believes the nuclear deal his administration will conclude with Iran will be better than the international agreement reached in 2015 after years of negotiations under then-Democratic President Barack Obama.
During his first term, Trump withdrew in 2018 from that deal, which faced severe criticism from Republicans in Congress and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
It is still unclear what kind of deal could be reached within days of the talks, but the Republican president predicted a quick outcome.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: "I am under no pressure whatsoever, yet everything will happen quite quickly!"
The blockade represents a problem
A Pakistani security source mentioned that Army Chief Asim Munir told Trump that the blockade is an obstacle to discussions and that the American president promised to consider ending it.
The United States was hoping to start negotiations in Pakistan prior to the end of the ceasefire.
But Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said: "The unconstructive and contradictory signals from American officials carry a bitter message; they want Iran to surrender."
He wrote on X: "The Iranians do not succumb to force."
The United States continued to blockade Iranian ports, while Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz before closing it again. Nearly a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies usually pass through the strait.
Shipping data indicated that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is still almost at a standstill as only three ships passed in 12 hours.
Marines on an Iranian ship
The American military said it fired at an Iranian-flagged cargo ship sailing toward the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on Sunday after six hours of tension which saw its engines disabled.
The U.S. Central Command released a video showing marines descending onto the deck of the ship from helicopters.
Maritime security sources suggested on Monday that the ship was carrying what Washington considers dual-use material that could be used by the military.
State media quoted the Iranian military as saying the ship was coming from China and accused the United States of "armed piracy." The military added that it is prepared to confront American forces over this "blatant aggression," but what restrains them is the presence of crew family members aboard.
China, the main buyer of Iranian crude oil, expressed concern over the "forced interception" of the ship, and China’s New Agency (Xinhua) reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping called for resuming normal ship passages through the strait and finding a solution to the war through political and diplomatic channels.
Trump warned Iran on Sunday that the United States would destroy all bridges and power stations in Iran if Tehran refused his terms, continuing this pattern of threats recently.
Iran says it will strike power and desalination plants in Gulf countries if the United States attacks its civilian infrastructure.
Preparing for talks that may not occur
Pakistan, the main mediator, is preparing for the talks despite the uncertainty surrounding whether they will go ahead.
A government and a security official said about 20,000 security personnel were deployed across the capital.
Thousands died in American-Israeli raids on Iran and a concurrent Israeli incursion into Lebanon alongside the Iranian war that began on February 28th.
A ceasefire is also currently in effect in Lebanon.
Washington is hosting a second round of talks at the ambassadorial level between Lebanon and Israel on Thursday, as part of efforts to maintain the fragile ceasefire.
