Trump: US will continue Iran talks despite ceasefire end

Shafaq News- Washington

Washington agreed to continue discussions requested by Tehran, but made clear that the ceasefire had ended, US President Donald Trump said on Friday.

Trump did not explain how negotiations would proceed under the new circumstances. Iran has not responded yet to his remarks.

Axios, citing a source, reported that US and Iranian officials could meet again next week, with Switzerland under consideration as the venue.

The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) also adopted a non-binding decision condemning Iran’s move to establish an authority overseeing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around 20% of global oil supplies. It urged member states not to recognize Tehran’s claims of sovereignty over the strait or any measures “closing, obstructing, hampering or otherwise interfering with international navigation and the right of transit passage.”

Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority announced in June that vessels would require a passage permit to transit the waterway. Tehran rejected the IMO Council's accusations as "selective, politically motivated and legally unfounded," arguing it is not bound by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Iranian delegates said the measures are intended to safeguard maritime safety and national security and do not amount to closing the strait.

Tensions escalated after attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States carried out airstrikes on several strategic facilities in Iran overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, while US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported striking 90 military sites along Iran's coastline to reduce Tehran's ability to target maritime traffic. Iran later launched retaliatory attacks on US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.