Talks between the US and Iran on unblocking the Strait of Hormuz and resolving the conflict in the Middle East have stalled. Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was dissatisfied with Iran's latest proposal, and Pakistan, which is acting as mediator, has not set a date for new talks to end the war. A ceasefire has been in force since April 8, but it is not known how the conflict will develop further. According to Reuters sources, Iran expects an intense attack from the US and has already activated air defense. Concerns are growing among the Persian Gulf states. Advisor to the President of the UAE, Anwar Gargash, spoke on the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
See also: Iran sets conditions for opening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has no intention of relenting
Anwar Gargash: Iran cannot be trusted
Advisor to the President of the UAE Anwar Gargash wrote on Friday on the X website that “collective international will and the provisions of international law” are the main guarantors of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. He added that “of course, no unilateral Iranian arrangements can be trusted” and arrangements with Tehran cannot be relied upon “after its brutal aggression against all its neighbors.”
A senior Iranian military official told Reuters that any new U.S. attack on Iran, even a limited one, would trigger a series of “long and painful strikes” against American positions in the region. Hence the UAE's concerns about escalation.
See also: The United Arab Emirates is sharpening its rhetoric. In the background, the operation in the Strait of Hormuz
The financial and energy markets are anxiously awaiting the resolution of the situation in the Middle East. Two months after the conflict began, the key sea route is still largely closed due to an Iranian blockade. In turn, the American Navy blocks the export of Iranian crude oil. Meanwhile, oil prices, whose supplies have been disrupted, continue to rise, raising fears of a global energy crisis.
As Reuters reminds, global Brent crude oil contracts rose again on Friday, slightly above $111. per barrel. Further increases – up to 5.7%. — are expected within the next week.
