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US-Iran stalemate running out of time as risks for Trump and Tehran grow
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Since the start of this week, the Pakistani capital Islamabad has been ready to welcome top negotiators from Iran and the US for another round of talks.
PHOTO: AFP
- Iran refuses talks until the US lifts its naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, while the US demands free passage.
- The US extended a ceasefire to aid diplomacy, but Iran dismissed it, seizing tankers in the Strait of Hormuz to escalate pressure and increase global oil prices.
- The stalemate cannot last, with US intelligence noting Iran's leadership division. Trump's ceasefire likely aims to empower Iranian moderates for future negotiations.
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LONDON - The United States does not want to fight, and Iran does not want to talk. That, in summary, is the current situation in the Middle East, where the military confrontation in the Gulf is now largely a war of attrition.
