Iran yet to confirm joining talks with US in Pakistan — BBC News

[0:00] Iran seems unlikely to join a U.S. delegation in Pakistan for a second round of talks about the war. [0:07] Iranian state television says, according to government sources, they're currently not planning on traveling to Islamabad. [0:13] They blame the American naval blockade and excessive demands. [0:18] However, no senior leaders have clarified the regime's position. [0:22] The U.S. delegation will be led by Vice President J.D. Vance. [0:26] Iran has also promised to retaliate after the United States said it seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that was trying to escape America's naval blockade. [0:37] The U.S. military fired several rounds at the vessel, disabling its engine after it refused to comply with repeated warnings over a six-hour period. [0:48] Here is the moment that this all took place from U.S. Central Command. [0:52] Motor vessel Tosca. Motor vessel Tosca. Vacate your engine room. Vacate your engine room. We're prepared to subject you to disabling fire. [1:04] Well, the regime in Tehran is saying the Strait of Hormuz, a vital archery for global shipping, is still closed. [1:28] Lise Doucette is in the Iranian capital and reports on conditions that none of her material is used on the BBC's Persian service. [1:36] These restrictions apply to all international media organizations that operate inside the country. [1:42] The calm waters of the world's most consequential battlefield, the Strait of Hormuz. [1:50] Thousands of ships trapped, waiting for Iran to open this waterway, for the U.S. to end its naval blockade. [1:57] Today, President Trump fired off another post. [2:02] We are offering a very fair and reasonable deal. [2:06] And I hope they take it. [2:08] Because if they don't, the United States is going to knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran. [2:17] No more Mr. Nice Guy. [2:20] But there are growing voices here saying Tehran's presence in the Strait is permanent. [2:25] A leading lawmaker tells us it's an asset against the enemy. [2:31] Will Iran ever give up its control of the Strait of Hormuz? [2:36] Certainly not. [2:38] Certainly not. [2:41] We believe this is our inalienable right. [2:44] We are preparing a plan to be approved by Parliament with comprehensive regulations ruling passage through the Strait to be implemented by the armed forces. [2:53] Even your neighbors, with whom you had good relations before the war, are saying this is international waters and this is an act of piracy. [3:05] Today, America is the world's biggest pirate. [3:10] Tehran, a city in waiting. [3:16] Sanctions and war strangle this economy. [3:20] Only a deal can end both. [3:22] You feel it at this state pharmacy. [3:27] People didn't want to speak to us on camera, but they told us they're paying more for their medicine. [3:34] The drugs Iran produces are still in stock, but imported drugs are harder to find, including insulin. [3:45] And there's another worry for some Iranians. [3:48] Security has tightened. [3:50] The eyes of the state are everywhere. [3:52] There are people in the squares supporting the government, but there are also young Iranians being arrested in waves of arrests. [4:02] There are young Iranians being executed for their part in the protests. [4:08] And there's a fear that after the war is over that this internal repression will get worse. [4:15] I think you probably haven't been given the correct analysis regarding the situation in Iran. [4:23] We are at war, even though there is a ceasefire and there are rules. [4:31] We do speak to young people here who tell us that they're still angry and pained by what happened in January, the crackdown which caused many thousands of deaths. [4:47] Today, Iran is a free country. [4:49] Oh. [4:50] It is very free. [4:52] The fate of this strait is a top issue in these talks. [4:57] But there's a growing sense Tehran sees it not just as a bargaining chip, but long-term leverage it wants to keep. [5:07] That's Lise Doucette reporting from Inside Iran. [5:09] Well, let's now speak to Eric Min, author of Words of War, Negotiation as a Tool of Conflict. [5:16] Eric, good to talk to you on BBC News. [5:18] So, what are your thoughts about this week as we enter a new week and a U.S. delegation is headed to Pakistan and yet Iran, as far as we know, we haven't had an official word yet and not intending to be there? [5:34] Yes. [5:35] So, thank you for having me. [5:36] I believe that the theme of this week, like previous weeks, is that the two sides still are not in a position to agree. [5:43] And I think a lot of what's going on right now with the U.S. sending a delegation and Iran saying that they will not join is a form of posturing, where the two sides are trying to lay out pretty strong claims on either side, trying to blame the other for not being more cooperative in getting things to work. [6:01] So, I think that we're still far away from being able to have some form of comprehensive agreement that really brings the war to an end. [6:08] And that the two sides are still engaging in, say, diplomatic theatre posturing in order to kind of bolster their position. [6:16] And I don't expect that to really change in the near future. [6:19] And that is what we're all seeing and hearing as viewers of all of this. [6:24] But behind the scenes, there's an awful lot going on with Pakistan in particular negotiating between both sides. [6:31] We understand that Pakistan was on a 45-minute phone call with Iran's president yesterday. [6:38] So, that is critical, isn't it, to getting these back in the room and discussing. [6:44] And what can we expect this week, do you believe? [6:47] Could we expect maybe at minimum an extension of the ceasefire? [6:53] Yes. [6:53] So, just because the two sides do not engage in public talks, which seems like it won't happen, doesn't mean that there aren't talks happening back doors or in the backstage. [7:02] I certainly do believe that there are talks going on with Pakistan facilitating that. [7:08] My assumption would be that those talks would continue, that they would be productive in some way, and that oftentimes a lot of the most productive diplomacy is the one that happens behind closed doors without having to worry about public posturing. [7:20] I think, in a best-case scenario, in some sense, we would hope for an extension of the ceasefire as the two sides in the backstage are able to make some agreements or at least willing to sort of express their interest in not escalating the war further, [7:34] and hoping that they're able to make some more progress or at least kick the can down the road a little bit longer. [7:40] Because neither side, I think, really, truly wants to escalate the conflict, but they also do not want to publicly take a position that looks like they're making concessions and weak to the other side, [7:49] which is where the backstage private diplomacy is probably quite valuable, even though we're not privy to it. [7:56] OK, Eric, we are out of time, but we appreciate picking your brains. [8:00] Thanks for talking to us on BBC News. [8:02] Eric Min there. [8:03] Thanks for talking to us on BBC News.