Iran demands US lift blockade before talks

Iran is refusing to send its negotiating team to Islamabad to continue talks this week until President Donald Trump lifts the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, according to two Middle East officials briefed on the situation. This demand, reported by Politico, directly ties Iran's participation in the diplomatic process to a concrete military concession from the United States. The condition creates a significant new obstacle for the planned negotiations, which were already on shaky ground with Vice President JD Vance's trip reportedly paused. The Iranian position underscores the high-stakes brinkmanship defining the current U.S.-Iran standoff, with Tehran leveraging the critical global oil chokepoint to pressure Washington.