Iran says it has closed the Strait of Hormuz because of Israeli attacks in Lebanon and warned that while negotiators were heading to Switzerland for talks with the US on their interim agreement, it is unlikely that much will happen if the fighting does not stop.
US President Donald Trump, in response, threatened to impose US tariffs on the vital waterway if a final deal with Iran is not reached within 60 days, saying the funds would be for “services provided as a Guardian Angel to countries in the Middle East”. His social media post emphasized that the deal calls for free travel for 60 days.
The announcements signaled a tense start to technical-level talks between the United States and Iran that chief negotiator Pakistan said would begin Sunday, with Qatari negotiators also participating.
Iran’s joint military command said the sea channel had been closed because of a “clear violation of commitments” by the United States for failing to end the war. The interim agreement aims to end the fighting on all fronts.
Shortly after, Iran’s state broadcaster said the negotiating team was leaving for Switzerland, a trip delayed from Friday. State media said the team includes Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and central bank and oil officials, among others. The agreement calls for a freeze on Iran’s assets.
The United States objected to Iran’s declaration on the maritime domain.
“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic continues to flow, and US forces are monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case,” said Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command. The military said 55 merchant ships sailed on Saturday carrying more than 17 million barrels of oil.
The Iranian team leaves for talks as uncertainty grows
Negotiations on a final agreement will begin as soon as key commitments are implemented, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, said. If not, “the overall compromise will be jeopardized”.
US Vice President JD Vance confirmed that chief negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were in Switzerland working through the technical details of the expected talks on Iran’s nuclear program. The interim accord gives negotiators 60 days to reach a nuclear deal, but that could be extended.
Vance told Fox News that he expects to leave for Switzerland in the “next few days”.
As part of efforts to revive direct talks, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Araghchi in Tehran early Saturday (local time), according to officials in Islamabad who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
The ships began crossing after the US-Iran interim agreement was signed earlier in the week, a move that left many questions unanswered. The US lifted its blockade of Iran’s ports and now allows Tehran to sell its oil freely – terms that have left some in the US Congress questioning whether the war was worth it.
Israeli attacks in Lebanon kill at least 16 people
A Hezbollah official told the Associated Press that Iran told the militant group that Tehran would not reopen the strait until Israel publicly announced that it would abide by a “ceasefire agreement” in Lebanon and the end of military operations there. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
The official said that Hezbollah would commit to a ceasefire if Israel did so.
An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with regulations, later said that the army had received “updated instructions from the political ranks for a ceasefire”. The official said that the army is acting in a defensive manner in Lebanon, which includes the right to respond to Hezbollah attacks.
The official also said that five Israeli soldiers have been killed in the last 48 hours in southern Lebanon.
Earlier, Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon killed at least 16 people, including two children, a few hours after reports of a ceasefire agreement emerged. Seven people were trapped under rubble after the strike hit the southern town of Nabatiyeh and nearby villages, Lebanon’s National News Agency said.
The death toll in the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah has passed 4,000, Lebanon’s health ministry announced later.
An Israeli army official said that Hezbollah fired more than 50 rockets at Israeli troops in southern Lebanon overnight. The Israeli military said it struck dozens of targets with Hezbollah militants.
On Friday, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, said that Israel “remains firmly committed to an immediate ceasefire,” if Hezbollah honors the agreement and ceases hostilities.
Earlier on Saturday, Hezbollah said it was committed to a ceasefire, but blamed Israel for violating it on Friday night and said it would withdraw Israeli military strikes.
The conflict could sink the US-Iran deal
Neither Israel nor Hezbollah signed the agreement between the US and Iran.
Hezbollah and Israel went to war two days after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, with Hezbollah firing rockets and drones into northern Israel and Israel seizing large swathes of southern Lebanon.
A new round of US-backed talks between the Lebanese and Israeli governments is expected to take place in Washington next week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep Israeli forces in southern Lebanon until any threat to Israel is eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to stop its attacks unless Israel withdraws from Lebanon.
AP
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