![Picture of Mahibur Fakir [Hillol]](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5d35a11815be0a5f73b6180975d1521fdd7694c880473d8ad5c74749dce26bd6?s=96&d=mm&r=g)
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the US Navy will begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz effective immediately, accusing Iran of extorting ships that pass through the critical waterway. NBC News
The dramatic announcement came just hours after the highest-level diplomatic talks between the two countries in decades collapsed without any agreement. Negotiations between the United States and Iran aimed at ending six weeks of war ended without an agreement on Sunday morning after more than 21 hours of talks. Vice President JD Vance, who led the US delegation, said Iran had chosen not to accept Washington’s terms before departing Islamabad just after 7 a.m. Time
Vance told reporters at a press conference that the core issue was a demand for Iran to make an affirmative commitment that it would not seek a nuclear weapon or the tools that would enable it to quickly achieve one. He left open the possibility that an agreement could still be reached, stating that the United States had presented its final and best offer and would wait to see whether Iran would accept it. NPR
Iran’s state-run Press TV said the talks stalled on the issue of control over the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s right to a peaceful nuclear energy program. Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said that his delegation raised forward-looking initiatives, but the US side ultimately failed to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations. Time
Trump said in an interview on Fox News that his decision to blockade the Strait was described as all in and all out, meaning no ships would pass unless the United States permitted it. He criticized Iran for charging ships to pass through the strait, saying Washington would not allow Iran to profit from selling oil to countries of its choosing while blocking others. NBC News
Iran’s internet blackout has now entered its 44th day, which internet watchdog NetBlocks declared is the longest nationwide internet shutdown on record in any country. The near-complete blackout of internet access has been in place since the United States and Israel first struck Iran at the start of the war. CNN
Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday that it has restored its crucial East-West oil pipeline to full capacity following attacks that impacted it last week. The 1,200 kilometer pipeline is one of two in the region that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, and its restoration brings pumping capacity back to approximately 7 million barrels per day. CNN
The average gas price in the United States has risen to approximately $4.13 a gallon, an increase of $1.14 per gallon since the start of the war. Trump said oil and gas prices could be around the same or a little higher before midterm elections, but expressed hope that prices would not stay elevated for long. NBC News
Iran’s government said in a post on X that talks had concluded and that technical experts from both sides would exchange documents, adding that negotiations would continue despite some remaining differences, though it did not say when they would restart. CBC News
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that Islamabad has been and will continue to play its role in facilitating engagement and dialogue between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States in the days ahead. CNN
The ceasefire, which was brokered just one week ago after intense last-minute diplomacy, now hangs by a thread. With the Strait of Hormuz still effectively closed and the US blockade announced, the world is watching closely to see whether diplomacy can be revived or whether the conflict enters a dangerous new phase.
![Picture of Mahibur Fakir [Hillol]](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5d35a11815be0a5f73b6180975d1521fdd7694c880473d8ad5c74749dce26bd6?s=176&d=mm&r=g)
