Kamal Ghorui
Iran denies reopening Hormuz amid US blockade
Iran declared that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not possible as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports continues. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said that any ceasefire between Tehran and Washington is meaningless unless the naval blockade and what he called the “hostage-taking” of the global economy come to an end.In a post on X, he wrote, “A full ceasefire only makes sense if it is not violated by the naval blockade and the hostage-taking of the world’s economy, and if the Zionist warmongering across all fronts is halted; the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is not possible with such a flagrant breach of the ceasefire.”He further remarked on the military aggression by the US against Tehran and said, “They did not achieve their objectives through military aggression, nor will they through bullying. The only way forward is to recognise the rights of the Iranian nation.
Trump hints at peace talks with Iran
Trump, talking to The New York Post, said that a second round of US-Iran negotiations could take place as early as Friday, with developments possible within the next 36 to 72 hours.However, uncertainty persists on Tehran’s side. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the government has yet to decide whether it will participate in a new round of Pakistan-mediated talks proposed to be held in Islamabad.Trump has softened his earlier hardline stance on Iran, announcing an indefinite extension of the ceasefire earlier on Tuesday.The move came amid fresh escalation, with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reportedly opening fire on three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, seizing two of them and escorting the ships toward Iranian waters, according to Iranian media reports.
