US threatens to resume strikes if Iran refuses to accept a deal

The United States threatened Thursday to resume air strikes on Iran and maintain a naval blockade of its ports if Tehran refuses to accept a deal to end the war that has engulfed the Middle East. The warning came as the influential chief of Pakistan’s armed forces visited Iran’s peace negotiators in Tehran as part […]

The United States threatened Thursday to resume air strikes on Iran and maintain a naval blockade of its ports if Tehran refuses to accept a deal to end the war that has engulfed the Middle East.

The warning came as the influential chief of Pakistan’s armed forces visited Iran’s peace negotiators in Tehran as part of his country’s diplomatic efforts to arrange a new round of talks between the foes.

Iranian state television showed Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir meeting Iran’s speaker of parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation at the first US-Iran meeting in Pakistan last week, which ended without a deal.

“If Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power and energy,” Defence Secretary Hegseth told a news conference at the Pentagon.

Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had told reporters that further talks “would very likely” be in the Pakistani capital.

“Those discussions are being had,” Leavitt said, and “we feel good about the prospects of a deal.”

But, despite Washington’s expectation of renewed talks, the US warned it would maintain its blockade of Iranian ports and use the two-week window afforded by the temporary ceasefire to rearm its forces.

General Dan Caine, the top US military officer, said the naval blockade “applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports.”

“If you do not comply with this blockade, we will use force,” he said.

Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said no date had been set for the next round of talks.