Iran stops talking to mediators, Iranian reports say, but Trump says talks continue
Iran halted communications with mediators over a ceasefire extension in its conflict with the U.S. and Israel, according to semiofficial reports, while Donald Trump denied the claim, insisting talks were ongoing. Meanwhile, the U.S. military stopped a seventh vessel attempting to breach its blockade of Iranian ports, and Iran faces severe inflation and economic protests amid regional tensions.
Iran stopped engaging with mediators about extending a ceasefire in its war with the U.S. and Israel, two semiofficial Iranian news agencies, Fars and Tasnim, reported Tuesday. The move came amid rising tensions in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia. A regional official confirmed Iran had not communicated since Monday, tying further talks to a ceasefire in Lebanon. The U.S. military intercepted a seventh ship violating its blockade of Iranian ports, firing a Hellfire missile at the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie after the crew ignored warnings. The blockade targets Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil and gas trade route. Donald Trump dismissed reports of halted talks as false, claiming negotiations with Iran had continued daily, including recent calls. He urged Iran to finalize a deal, though U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio avoided addressing the communication breakdown, instead emphasizing nuclear negotiations without guarantees of success. Iran’s economic struggles worsened in May, with inflation reaching levels unseen since World War II. The crisis follows years of protests over food prices, fuel costs, and currency collapse, with activists reporting over 7,000 deaths in January’s crackdown. The regime now faces pressure to ease its grip on the Strait of Hormuz while managing domestic unrest.
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