The tightening US naval blockade is undermining Tehran's trust in Washington and hindering the negotiation process, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said.
“Intensifying restrictive measures against Iran is a serious obstacle to the diplomatic process, as such actions undermine the atmosphere of trust necessary for it,“ he said in a conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Pezeshkian's office released his remarks.
The Iranian president also expressed concern that “the current talks could become a smokescreen for a new attack on Iran“. He believes that the consultations can only be successful if the US “instead of threats and pressure, builds a dialogue based on the principles of mutual respect“.
Iranian negotiators believe that softening US President Donald Trump's rhetoric towards Tehran could facilitate the resumption of talks, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing its sources.
According to them, Iran has informed Pakistan that ending the US leader's threats “could help convince hardliners that the time has come“ to resume negotiations.
According to the publication, if Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, after consultations with mediators, deems an agreement with Washington feasible, the two sides could meet in the coming days.
Since the beginning of the naval blockade of Iran on April 13, the US military has diverted 37 ships attempting to sail from the Islamic Republic's coast or enter its ports, the US Central Command said.
“US forces continue to enforce US sanctions and maintain a complete blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. Thirty-seven ships have been diverted since the blockade began,“ the command said in a statement.