PARIS -- France and Britain will work to bring countries together for a meeting in the coming days on pooling efforts to restore free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.
The meeting is expected to gather countries willing to contribute to a peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring free navigation in the Strait, Macron said on his official X account. (France-Hormuz-Macron)
- - - -
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military will impose a blockade covering parts of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz starting from 1400 GMT, Reuters reported, citing a notice to mariners issued by U.S. Central Command.
"Any vessel entering or departing the blockaded area without authorization is subject to interception, diversion, and capture," the notice said. (U.S.-Military-Blockade)
- - - -
MADRID -- Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz is "senseless."
In an interview with Spanish national television RTVE, Robles warned that the blockade would be "another step" in an escalating crisis that has already caused heavy casualties and economic damage. (Spain-Hormuz-Trump)
- - - -
TEHRAN -- Iran's military said Monday that U.S. restrictions on vessels in international waters are "illegal and constitute piracy."
"The restrictions imposed by criminal America on maritime navigation and transit in international waters are illegal and constitute piracy," said a statement issued by Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command of the Iranian armed forces. (Iran-U.S.)
- - - -
TEHRAN -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi blamed the U.S. maximalist demands and naval blockade threats for the two countries' failure to reach an agreement in their recent peace talks in Pakistan.
He made the remarks in a post on X early Monday, stressing that Tehran and Washington were only "inches away" from reaching an agreement in their negotiations in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, on Saturday on easing tensions in the Middle East. (Iran-U.S.-Negotiations)
- - - -
ISLAMABAD -- After peace talks between the United States and Iran concluded in Islamabad without an agreement, regional mediators are racing to secure a second round of negotiations within days to prevent the collapse of a fragile, two-week ceasefire, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing officials familiar with the matter.
The major sticking points include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without collecting transit fees, the fate of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and Tehran's demand for the release of roughly 27 billion U.S. dollars in frozen revenues. (U.S.-Iran-Peace talks) ■
