Six weeks into a fragile and often mainly formal ceasefire between Tehran and Washington, intermediary Pakistan is working on a diplomatic resolution between them. Islamabad’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was scheduled to meet with senior Iranian officials on Thursday, May 21st.
According to a Pakistani official, speaking on condition of anonymity, U.S. president Donald
Trump’s patience running thin is a concern, but we’re working on the pace at which messages are relayed from each side.
Despite U.S. pressure, Tehran seems unlikely to abandon its nuclear ambitions at the present time.
Iran’s approach to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical logistical waterway for the global energy industry, also remains provocative. Thursday saw it claim control of non-Iranian waters south of Fujairah, one of the seven United Arab Emirates. Fujairah’s main port hosts oil infrastructure designed to bypass the strategic maritime route.
Emirati presidential adviser Anwar Gargash took to social media to blast the latest Iranian announcement:
The regime is trying to establish a new reality born from a clear military defeat, but attempts to control the Strait of Hormuz or infringe on the UAE’s maritime sovereignty are nothing but pipe dreams.
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