Iran has rejected participation in a second spherical of peace talks with the USA, sharply escalating tensions amid renewed naval confrontations. Iran’s official information company IRNA reported that there are “no plans” for additional negotiations at this stage, blaming Washington for what it described as extreme calls for, shifting positions and “fixed contradictions”. It additionally pointed to what it known as an ongoing naval blockade and up to date maritime incidents as key obstacles to diplomacy.In an announcement carried by Iranian media, Tehran mentioned the environment surrounding talks “can’t be thought of constructive”, including that there was “no clear prospect of fruitful negotiations” underneath present circumstances. IRNA additionally dismissed reviews of an imminent second spherical of talks in Islamabad as “not true”, calling them a part of a “media recreation” and stress marketing campaign by the USA.US seizes Iranian ship — Comply with stay updates Iranian ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam was extra direct, accusing Washington of undermining diplomacy by way of coercive measures. “You can not hold violating worldwide regulation, double down in your blockade, threaten Iran with additional warfare crimes, insist on unreasonable calls for, and fake to be pursuing diplomacy,” he mentioned. “So long as the naval blockade stays, faultlines stay.”The diplomatic breakdown comes towards the backdrop of rising maritime tensions within the Strait of Hormuz, a important world vitality hall. Iranian state shops mentioned the US naval blockade of Iranian ports stays a central sticking level, with Tehran arguing it quantities to collective punishment.Tensions escalated additional after reviews {that a} US warship intercepted and broken an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel trying to evade inspection. Washington claimed the ship was already underneath sanctions, whereas Iran condemned the incident as “armed piracy” and warned of retaliation.State broadcaster IRIB mentioned Iran at present has no plans to attend additional talks, whereas different media shops, together with Fars and Tasnim, cited officers as saying the “general environment” was not conducive to negotiations until restrictions on Iran had been lifted.The standoff has additionally rattled vitality markets, with oil costs rising sharply amid fears of additional disruption within the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a big share of world crude shipments.