Washington, June 29 (IANS) The United States and Iran have agreed to halt their recent military exchanges around the Strait of Hormuz and move forward with negotiations aimed at preserving a fragile ceasefire, even as both sides continue to disagree over who has authority over one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes. According to reports by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post, officials from both countries signalled on Sunday that technical talks w…
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Washington, June 22 (IANS) The Trump administration is presenting its new diplomacy with Iran as more than an effort to end a four-month conflict, arguing that the talks could open the door to a broader transformation of the Middle East and revive ambitions for a regional realignment that has remained elusive since President Donald Trump’s first term.As Vice President JD Vance met Iranian officials in Switzerland on Sunday, senior administration figures described the negotiations as an opportuni…
Washington, June 22 (IANS) US President Donald Trump’s memorandum of understanding with Iran came under sustained bipartisan criticism, with lawmakers, former officials and policy experts questioning whether Tehran had gained more from the agreement than Washington. The criticism came as Vice President JD Vance continued talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland and administration officials defended the deal as the start of a diplomatic process aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear…
Washington, June 22 (IANS) Concerns over the future of the Strait of Hormuz emerged as one of the most contentious issues surrounding President Donald Trump’s new agreement with Iran, with lawmakers, former officials and energy experts warning that Tehran could gain lasting leverage over one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.While the memorandum of understanding signed last week ended nearly four months of conflict between Washington and Tehran, critics across the political spec…
Washington, June 22 (IANS) Vice President JD Vance has emerged as the public face of President Donald Trump’s high-stakes diplomacy with Iran, taking charge of negotiations that could reshape the Middle East while also carrying the political risks of a deal that is already drawing criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.As technical talks on Iran’s nuclear programme began in Switzerland, Vance found himself at the centre of an effort that the Trump administration describes as a historic op…
Washington, June 14 (IANS) Senior Trump administration officials on Sunday mounted a vigorous defence of the emerging US-Iran agreement, saying that it bears little resemblance to the nuclear accord negotiated under former President Barack Obama, even as Obama-era officials questioned whether the new arrangement would ultimately be much different.The debate unfolded across multiple Sunday television interviews as the White House pushed toward a memorandum of understanding with Iran that Presiden…
Washington, May 11 (IANS) US President Donald Trump sharply rejected Iran’s response to a new US proposal aimed at ending the conflict in the Gulf region, calling Tehran’s position “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE” as tensions continued around the Strait of Hormuz.“I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives.’ I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.The remarks came hours after …
United Nations, April 7 (IANS) Russia and China vetoed on Tuesday a resolution calling for opening the Strait of Hormuz and using defensive measures as the deadline for US President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilisation loomed. Pakistan, a member of the triumvirate of countries in a last-minute diplomatic effort, and Colombia abstained on the resolution proposed by Council President Bahrain, while the other 11 members voted for it.The failed resolution had been toned down from …
Washington, March 23 (IANS) The United States is pursuing a dual-track approach on the Strait of Hormuz, combining allied burden-sharing with the threat of direct military action, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said.Speaking on CBS News’ “Face the Nation”, Waltz said, “Well, I think it can be both. It’s not necessarily mutually exclusive,” when asked whether Washington intended to reopen the strategic waterway by force or rely on partners.He pointed to growing allied in…
Washington, March 21 (IANS) The Trump Administration is pushing for a leaner and more focused United Nations, with its top diplomat to the world body, Mike Waltz, telling lawmakers that the organisation must return to its core mission of maintaining international peace and security.Testifying before lawmakers at a congressional hearing in New York, Waltz defended the administration’s effort to overhaul the UN, arguing that decades of expansion have not delivered proportional results.“The UN …