Macron urges renewed US Iran talks as Hormuz tensions rise

Yesterday 15:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Macron urges renewed US Iran talks as Hormuz tensions rise

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has urged US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to resume negotiations after ceasefire talks in Islamabad ended without agreement. He said he spoke separately with both leaders and called for renewed dialogue, reduced tensions, and no further escalation.

The diplomatic push follows more than 20 hours of direct talks between US and Iranian officials in Pakistan’s capital that failed to produce a deal. US Vice President JD Vance said Washington had presented what he described as a final offer. Shortly after, Trump announced a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating the standoff.

Iranian officials placed responsibility for the deadlock on Washington. Pezeshkian said US demands and lack of political will blocked progress despite technical understandings reached by negotiators. He added that Iran remains open to diplomacy within the framework of international law. The two sides remain divided over Iran’s nuclear program. Reports indicate the United States proposed a 20-year suspension of uranium enrichment, while Iran offered a five-year freeze, which Washington rejected.

Macron outlined three priorities to ease the crisis. He called for extending the fragile two-week ceasefire set to expire on April 22 to include Lebanon, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and restarting negotiations. The waterway, which once carried about one fifth of global oil supply, has become a central flashpoint. Iran has restricted access for vessels from countries it considers hostile, while the US blockade now targets ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. Trump warned that any Iranian vessel approaching the blockade could face immediate military action.

France and the United Kingdom plan to host a virtual meeting in Paris to organize a multinational defensive mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation when conditions allow. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said efforts are ongoing to arrange a second round of direct talks, possibly as early as next weekend, signaling that diplomatic channels remain open despite rising tensions.