Fragile peace in the Middle East faltered precariously on Wednesday when Iran fired on three and seized two international ships in the Strait of Hormuz, dashing prospects for renewed peace talks.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he is extending the ceasefire to give more time for Pakistan-brokered talks. On Wednesday, the White House said that Trump has not set any new deadline for the end of the truth.
But Iranian officials did not publicly support the move and said no decision had been taken on participating in a new round of talks.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said a full ceasefire could happen only if Washington lifts its blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran considers the blockade an act of war.
“It is impossible to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with such a blatant violation of the ceasefire,” Qalibaf wrote on Twitter.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai told state media that Iran had not yet decided whether to join the new talks. Tehran accused the United States of acting in bad faith.
Earlier, Mojtaba Ferdowsi Pour, head of the Iranian mission in Egypt, told AP news agency that no delegation would visit Pakistan until Washington lifts its blockade.
no traffic from hormuz
The standoff has effectively closed the vital Strait of Hormuz, putting pressure on economies around the world.
“We must know where we stand. Will it be a ceasefire, peace or will the war continue?” Mashallah Mohammad Sadegh, a 59-year-old Tehran resident, told the AP. “The way things are at the moment, no one knows what to do.”