The timing of war and peace is not yours to decide, Iran tells US

Iran said it would not allow the US to determine when the two countries go to war or make peace, as four consecutive nights without new exchanges of fire raised hopes that Qatar and Pakistan-led mediation could revive the collapsed interim agreement. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT "We will not allow the United States to determine the timing of war and peace," Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at his weekly press briefing on Monday. He said any decision on future talks would be based solely on Iran's national interests and that Tehran would continue defending itself "for as long as necessary". Speaking to Austria's ORF television on Sunday, Baghaei acknowledged that Tehran and Washington were still exchanging messages but said US military actions had destroyed the conditions for meaningful negotiations, with Iran's immediate priority being the protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump told reporters that Iran had requested talks "through intermediaries and directly," claiming Tehran was willing to negotiate because of the military pressure it had faced. "We are holding deep talks with Iran," he said. "If they fail, we will return to a wide-scale military operation." He said he had responded positively to mediators' requests to give diplomacy another chance but would not allow talks to drag on indefinitely. "I have plenty of time," he said, while insisting Iran had "taken a beating" during the past two weeks. Strait of Hormuz remains key pressure point Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz remains unresolved. Baghaei said talks with Oman over the administration of the strategic waterway were continuing but stressed they were strictly bilateral and unrelated to the US. "The Strait of Hormuz remains closed," he said. Deputy parliament speaker Haji Babaii said any arrangement with Oman over the waterway must not clash with Iran’s sovereignty and that Washington should not be involved in the issue. He insisted that Iran would not retreat from its position on the strait, saying decisions over Hormuz would ultimately be determined by Iran’s leadership and people. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil and gas passed before Iran effectively closed it following the start of the war on 28 February, remains the central sticking point in any settlement. Iran's position is that it holds sovereign authority over the waterway and may designate approved transit routes, a claim the US, Gulf states and most of the international community reject under UNCLOS, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Tehran has signed but never ratified the convention. Iran's IRGC said it intercepted six vessels attempting to transit through routes not approved by Iranian authorities, forcing them to turn back after warning shots. Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters also accused the US of imposing what it described as an illegal naval blockade by threatening Iranian commercial vessels and oil tankers operating inside Iran's territorial waters. For its part, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had redirected 17 commercial vessels, disabled two others and boarded two ships to enforce compliance with maritime restrictions. Oil markets reacted positively to the absence of new military strikes, with Brent crude prices falling after reaching two-month highs last week. Economic pressure continues to mount The temporary military pause has not eased conditions inside Iran. Tehran remains confronted with electricity shortages, fuel imbalances, inflation and declining purchasing power. In a recent exclusive report, Euronews Persian documented how rising prices are forcing many Iranians to cut back even on essential food purchases. Leila, a 42-year-old translator living with her mother in western Tehran, said many families can no longer afford fruit despite Iran being one of the region's largest producers. "The reality is that many families' incomes have not kept pace with inflation," she said. "After paying for rent, bread, rice, meat and dairy products, we are forced to reduce purchases of things like fruit, even though they are important." Another interviewee, retired Tehran resident Mohammad Bagher, said his family's fruit consumption had fallen by roughly 70% compared with previous years despite receiving a relatively high pension. Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthi forces have intensified attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and shipping in the Red Sea, with recent strikes targeting facilities around Jizan and Yanbu, while Saudi Arabia has launched retaliatory air strikes across Yemen. Commercial shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait — which carries around 12% of global maritime trade — has slowed significantly as insurers reassess security risks. The escalation comes despite a separate US-Houthi understanding reached in May 2025, under which the group had agreed to pause attacks on US-linked vessels. The arrangement has not prevented the Houthis from attacking Saudi and other Gulf targets. Trump said the US was not currently involved in operations against the Houthis but warned Washington could intervene if the group became "a problem".