Iran Sunday rebuffed a fresh round of peace negotiations with the United States, declaring Washington's demands excessive and its conduct in breach of the ceasefire — even as US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy every power plant and bridge in the country unless Tehran accepted his terms.
Trump said the U.S. military had taken control of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship by blowing a hole in its engine room. "We have full custody of their ship, and are seeing what's on board!" he wrote on social media.
Tehran's rejection, reported by state news agency IRNA, cited Washington's unrealistic expectations, constantly shifting positions, and the ongoing US naval blockade of Iranian ports as grounds for refusing to send a delegation to Islamabad for a second round of talks. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency confirmed no decision had been taken to participate while the blockade remained in place.
Trump had earlier announced on Truth Social that his envoys would arrive in Pakistanthisday evening — leaving barely a day for progress before the two-week ceasefire expires early on Wednesday. "We're offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don't, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran," he wrote. "NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"
The White House did not immediately respond to Iran's rejection.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Sunday that he spoke with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian about the conflict in the Gulf.
During the talk, Sharif shared insights with Pezeshkian regarding his recent conversations with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, he said in a post on X.
"I appreciated Iran's engagement, including its high-level delegation to Islamabad for the historic talks, and recent discussions with Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in Tehran," Sharif said.
Sharif assured Pezeshkian that Pakistan remains committed to its role as a facilitator of peace and regional stability.
Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, had acknowledged some progress from the first round but said the two sides remained far apart on nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz. Washington had proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity; Tehran countered with three to five years.
The strait itself remained closed Sunday, a day after Iranian forces fired on two vessels attempting to cross. Iran had announced on Friday it would reopen the waterway — triggering the sharpest single-day oil price drop in years and a global stock market rally — but reversed course on Saturday after Trump declined to lift the US port blockade. Marine traffic data showed shipping through the strait at a virtual standstill.
Energy analyst Amrita Sen, founder of the Energy Aspects think tank, warned of fresh market volatility when trading resumed on Monday, saying Iran's weekend actions had laid bare just how fragile the situation remained.
Now in its eighth week, the conflict has delivered the most severe shock to global energy supplies in history.
On the ground in Islamabad, two US C-17 cargo planes touched down at Nur Khan air base Sunday carrying security equipment ahead of the expected delegation's arrival. City authorities halted public transport, barbed wire was rolled out near the Serena Hotel — venue of last week's talks — and all guests were ordered to leave.
