Third Round of Iran-US Talks Ends with Deep Divisions, Strait of Hormuz and Nuclear Issue Remain Key Sticking Points

BlockBeats News, April 12th. The third round of talks between Iran and the United States in Islamabad on April 12th, local time, has concluded. The Iranian side described this round of talks as the "final opportunity" to reach a framework agreement. Since the 11th, the negotiation agenda has been intensive, with discussions lasting into the late night. All parties seized the temporary ceasefire window to intensify their game, but sharp differences remain on the three core issues of controlling the Strait of Hormuz, unfreezing overseas assets, and uranium enrichment. Sources familiar with the matter stated that due to the U.S. side's "sky-high demands," no substantial progress has been made since the Iran-U.S. Islamabad talks began, and some Western media outlets are exaggerating the "positive atmosphere" of the negotiations for the purpose of influencing international energy prices. The fourth round of talks between Iran and the United States will continue on Sunday.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei announced progress in talks with the United States in Islamabad, Pakistan, in the early hours of local time today. According to the briefing he issued, negotiations between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan, began on the morning of April 11th and are still ongoing. The two sides have exchanged a lot of information, and Iran's negotiating representatives are "doing their best to uphold Iran's rights." The briefing stated that Iran and the United States discussed various aspects of the main negotiating topics, including the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, lifting sanctions, and the complete cessation of wars against Iran and the Middle East. The briefing emphasized that the success of this diplomatic process depends on the sincerity of the U.S. side, on whether the U.S. side has made excessive and illegal demands, and on whether it accepts Iran's legitimate rights.

Outside the negotiation table, the U.S. military has announced mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, while the Israeli Prime Minister has stated that they will continue to strike Iran and its proxies. With little time left in the ceasefire window, diplomatic maneuvers and military actions are escalating concurrently, placing the Middle East at a crossroads between war and peace.