Pakistan pushes for breakthrough in US-Iran peace talks

WASHINGTON/DUBAI — Pakistan is seeking to help bridge differences between Iran and the United States as negotiations continue over ending the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war, with key disputes centered on Iran’s uranium stockpile and proposed controls over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian media reported Friday that Pakistani Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi met again with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Tehran, two days after delivering Washington’s latest message to Iranian officials.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim and ISNA news agencies, Naqvi is facilitating communication aimed at securing a framework for ending the conflict and resolving outstanding disagreements between Tehran and Washington.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that recent discussions showed “some good signs,” but warned that progress would be unlikely if Iran continued pursuing plans to impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

“There’s some good signs,” Rubio told reporters. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic. So, let’s see what happens over the next few days.”

A senior Iranian source told Reuters that negotiations had narrowed some gaps, although uranium enrichment and access to the strategic waterway remain major sticking points.

The conflict, which began on February 28, has disrupted global markets and driven oil prices upward, intensifying concerns over inflation. Before the war, roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

Financial markets remained sensitive to developments in the negotiations. The U.S. dollar hovered near a six-week high on Friday while oil prices climbed as investors questioned the likelihood of a diplomatic breakthrough.

“We’re coming to the end of week 12, we’re six weeks in the ceasefire, and I’m just not really that convinced we’re any closer to a resolution between the U.S. and Iran,” said Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG.

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated Washington’s position on Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile, which the United States believes could support nuclear weapons development, although Tehran maintains the material is intended solely for peaceful purposes.

“We will get it. We don’t need it, we don’t want it. We’ll probably destroy it after we get it, but we’re not going to let them have it,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.

Before Trump’s remarks, two senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had instructed that the uranium stockpile should not be transferred abroad.

Trump also criticized Tehran’s proposals involving shipping fees in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We want it open, we want it free. We don’t want tolls,” Trump said, describing the strait as “an international waterway.”

Trump faces mounting domestic pressure ahead of the November midterm elections, with higher fuel prices contributing to public dissatisfaction and weighing on his approval ratings.

Iran submitted a fresh proposal to Washington earlier this week. Iranian descriptions of the offer suggest it largely mirrors earlier demands rejected by Trump, including authority over the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damages, sanctions relief, release of frozen assets, and the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

The International Energy Agency warned Thursday that the conflict has triggered what it described as the world’s worst energy shock, cautioning that peak summer fuel demand and limited new Middle East supply could push markets into a “red zone” during July and August.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has sharply declined from pre-war levels of 125 to 140 daily passages.

Iran has stated that it intends to reopen the strait to countries willing to comply with its conditions, potentially including fee arrangements.

Rubio argued that such measures would undermine diplomatic efforts and violate international norms.

“It would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible if they were to continue to pursue that,” Rubio said. “So it’s a threat to the world if they were trying to do that, and it’s completely illegal.”

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have said the war aims include curbing Iran’s support for regional militias, dismantling its nuclear and missile capabilities, and weakening the Iranian leadership.

Despite months of conflict, Iran has maintained its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium and continues to retain missile, drone, and proxy capabilities that regional rivals and Western governments view as a persistent threat.