Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghae says government has no plans regarding a new round of talks after the United States seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
The attack comes hours after US President Donald Trump said he is sending his team to Islamabad for possible talks with Iran.
Baghaei says an Iranian delegation will not be attending planned talks in Islamabad, saying the
Iran cannot forget the US attacks on it during previous negotiations, he added.
Iran’s Joint Military Headquarters of Khatam ul Anbiya have said there will be retaliation for the recent attack on the Iranian ship. They called it US piracy.
This is another sign of escalation, both sides seem to be trying to go through the trajectory of diplomacy at some point but they are also talking about fingers on the trigger and that is running the risk of another round of escalation.
The entirety of the situation can be characterised by three elements. First, there is ambiguity when it comes to the positions and stances we are hearing from both sides. There is no clearly defined position from either party, and that comes from the very fragile and brittle nature of the situation.
Second, there is breakability at every point, the clock is ticking and there is a real possibility of another round of confrontation as we move towards the end of the announced ceasefire period.
Third, there is the complex and interrelated nature of the issues at play, the regional security context, the leverage Iran is trying to exercise through the Strait of Hormuz, and the many sticking points that stand in the way of any diplomatic settlement between the two sides.
Pakistan tightens security in Islamabad before the possible talks, locking down parts of the city and deploying 20,000 security personnel.
Al Jazeera
