Newsletters
Iran issued a warning to a U.S. destroyer moving from Fujairah port toward the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday that it would be targeted within 30 minutes if it continued its approach.
Tehran conveyed the threat through Pakistani mediators in real time as U.S.-Iran peace talks were underway in Islamabad, after which the ship was ordered to stop, according to Iran's Tasnim News Agency.
According to Tasnim News Agency, Iranian armed forces tracked a U.S. destroyer moving from Fujairah port toward the Strait of Hormuz and immediately relayed its position to Iran's negotiating delegation in Pakistan.
The Iranian delegation transmitted the issue to the U.S. side through the Pakistani intermediary.
Iran simultaneously issued a direct warning to the destroyer that it would be targeted if it continued toward the strait.
Iran explicitly informed the Pakistani intermediary: "If the ship's movement continues, it will be targeted within 30 minutes, and the Iran-U.S. negotiations will also be dealt a blow," the Iranian media reported.
Following the warning and the negotiating team's follow-up, the order was given to stop the vessel, the agency said. The report claimed that the approach was "highly praised by the Pakistani mediator" as a sign of close coordination between Iran's armed forces and diplomatic apparatus.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in Pakistan that there had been "certain cases and suspicions of ceasefire violations today that were flagged, and the enemy corrected its action."
He cited this as an example of Iran's vigilance, without initially specifying the vessel incident.
Baqaei separately confirmed that talks in Islamabad were ongoing, saying Iran's 10-point proposal had been conveyed to the Pakistani side.
"From the moment we arrived in Islamabad, negotiations began in some form. There were about two to two-and-a-half hours of talks by Ghalibaf and Araghchi with the Pakistani side," he said.
"The considerations, viewpoints, and demands of Iran were conveyed based on the same 10-point proposal package to the Pakistani side." He said discussions were continuing at the time of his remarks.
Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported that direct talks between Iran and the U.S. side in Islamabad formally began Saturday, following intensive consultations.
The agencies cited three factors that enabled the talks to proceed: progress in discussions, Israeli strikes in Lebanon being limited to southern areas away from Beirut, interpreted as progress in ceasefire implementation, and the U.S. side's acceptance of freeing Iranian assets, requiring more detailed expert and technical discussions.
The talks subsequently entered an expert-level technical phase, with members of Iran's specialized committees heading to the negotiating venue.
Iran's delegation arrived expressing skepticism toward the U.S. side, citing what it described as previous instances of American bad faith during negotiations, Fars and Tasnim reported.
Iranian state television reported that Tehran had set out its "red lines" in the Pakistani-mediated talks, described as a genuine and stable ceasefire, control of the Strait of Hormuz, war compensation, and the release of frozen assets.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the level of the Iranian delegation demonstrated Iran's seriousness, while also warning that the country was "seriously prepared for every scenario."
He added that Iran's list of demands was "quite long."
1 min read
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran considers the Lebanon ceasefire not yet fully implemented and that the U.S. is obligated to compel Israel to fulfill this commitment.
"The Iranian delegation is pursuing this matter both through the Pakistani intermediary and in the negotiating room," he said.
Baqaei also said Iran was in continuous contact with its embassy in Beirut to monitor ceasefire commitments in Lebanon.
Iran denied the Axios report that U.S. Navy ships had already crossed the Strait of Hormuz, with a senior Iranian security official telling Tasnim that no ship had crossed the strait since the ceasefire came into force.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
