Iran-US war highlights: Progress in talks but far from deal, says Iran's Ghalibaf; ships return after Hormuz closure

Iran US war news highlights: Stalemate over Strait of Hormuz has returned after brief reopening of the key energy passage as Iran announced to shut it again over US blockade on Saturday. After nearly two months of closure, Iran partially reopened its airspace on Saturday to international flights crossing the eastern part of its territory, the country's Civil Aviation Authority said, AFP reported

"Air routes in the eastern section of the country's airspace are open for international flights transiting through Iran," it said, adding that some airports had also reopened at 7:00 am (0330 GMT).

More than three hours later, however, flight tracker websites still showed no international flights crossing Iran, and several avoiding its airspace by making long detours.

Greek, Indian vessels make u-turn before Hormuz

Amid uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz and occasional barbs between the US and Iran, several oil tankers have u-turned in the Persian Gulf after appearing to try to transit the Strait of Hormuz, the Bloomberg reported. Shipowners and oil traders remain in a state of disarray as they try to figure out whether Iran would stick to its promise to keep the chokepoint open for all.

Trump says ceasefire may end if no deal reached by Wednesday

US President Donald Trump has said the ceasefire may end if no long-term deal is reached by Wednesday, the deadline for the two-week pause to Middle East fighting, Reuters reported. Trump also said the US blockade of Iranian ports will 'remain' if no deal is reached.

"Maybe I won't extend it, but the blockade (on Iranian ports) is going to remain," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on his way back to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona. "So you have a blockade, and unfortunately we have to start dropping bombs again."

Talks in ‘Islamabad on Monday’

Almost a week after the Islamabad talks between the United States and Iran collapsed without a deal, the two sides will sit for negotiations in Pakistan's capital city once again on Monday, CNN reported, citing Iranian sources. There is no update from the American side on next round of talks, though Trump on Thursday had said that the US and Iran were ‘close to a deal’ and that the Iran war should end ‘pretty soon’.

Direct talks between the US and Iran last weekend were inconclusive, as the two nations could not agree about Iran’s nuclear program and other points.

Iran opens Strait of Hormuz, then a threat

In big reprieve for countries across the world threatened with fuel crisis, Iran on Friday said it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels. However, US President Donald Trump said the American blockade on Iranian ships and ports “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear program.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the crucial waterway, through which about 20% of the world's oil is shipped, was now fully open to commercial vessels, as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold.

“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran,” Araghchi wrote on X.

Iran will close the strategic Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Saturday.

"With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would depend on authorisation from Iran.

Trump initially celebrated the Iranian announcement, posting on social media that the strait was "fully open and ready for full passage.” But minutes later, he issued another post saying the U.S. Navy's blockade would continue “UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE.”