The Fars and Tasnim agencies, both linked to the Revolutionary Guard, have reported that Iran will not participate in negotiations with the United States in Pakistan to end the war until the ceasefire in Lebanon is implemented, where Israel's attacks have left hundreds dead and injured in recent days. The two media outlets indicated that the Iranian negotiating team has not yet traveled to Islamabad, where negotiations are scheduled to begin on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has criticized Iran's management of the Strait of Hormuz and stated that it is not what they agreed upon last Tuesday when they declared a temporary ceasefire. "Iran is doing a terrible job --dishonorable, some would say-- by allowing the passage of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. That is not the agreement we have!" wrote the Republican early this morning after warning the Islamic republic to immediately stop charging fees.
"There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers," said Trump in his previous message, in which he added: "They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!" he had previously threatened.
Islamabad becomes a fortress to host the first negotiations between the US and Iran
In Islamabad, municipal brigades have painted the sidewalks, erected fences, and cleaned roundabouts while columns of police and military personnel consolidated an impregnable perimeter. The chaotic capital of Pakistan, designed for bureaucracy in the foothills of the Himalayas, has been transformed into a fortress awaiting a long-awaited diplomatic meeting laden with uncertainty. This weekend, on its monitored avenues and under the shadow of the Margalla hills, the first direct talks between Washington and Tehran since the outbreak of the war that has shaken the Middle East are taking place.