Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned that Tehran has “prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield” if talks with the United States collapse, as both sides traded conflicting signals about the prospects for renewed negotiations in Pakistan.
President Donald Trump continued to project confidence in his social media posts, claiming he was “winning a War, BY A LOT” and insisting any deal with Iran would be “FAR BETTER than the JCPOA,” although denying he felt pressure to reach an agreement. He reiterated that the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz was costing Iran $500 million a day, a figure he said was destroying Iran’s economy, though he offered no evidence that talks were imminent.
Iranian officials rejected the US stance, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stating Tehran would not accept negotiations “under the shadow of threats” and confirming that Iran had prepared military options should fighting resume. His remarks came as Al Jazeera reported Tehran’s refusal to engage in talks while the blockade remained in place.
The Guardian noted Trump’s mixed messaging, saying he expressed optimism that fresh talks could occur “relatively quickly” in Pakistan while also insisting he was in no rush to end the conflict. A Reuters source confirmed that US Vice President JD Vance had not departed for Pakistan on Monday, contradicting earlier reports and adding uncertainty about whether a second round of talks would proceed.
US Central Command reported that 27 vessels had been forced to turn around or return to Iranian ports due to the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude oil rose 5.6% to settle at $95.48 a barrel amid the tensions, though the market reaction was described as more subdued than in earlier phases of the conflict.
For more on this story, see Iran Blocks Strait of Hormuz, Disrupting Global Oil Flow Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that the expiry of the 14-day US-Iran truce was approaching a “critical” moment, emphasizing that the strait’s closure was “hitting the global economy” and reiterating international calls to reopen the waterway.
Beyond the Iran-US standoff, the Guardian’s live coverage recorded at least five Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza on Monday, with witnesses reporting clashes between Hamas fighters and gunmen from an Israeli-backed militia. Medics confirmed one death in an airstrike on the Bureij camp and another strike in Gaza City that caused casualties, while later strikes in western Khan Younis killed at least three more.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the war by phone, with Lavrov urging adherence to the ceasefire and continued diplomacy, while Araghchi said Tehran would seek to ensure uninterrupted passage for Russian ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
What does Iran mean by “new cards” on the battlefield?
Iranian officials have indicated they have prepared military or strategic options to deploy if negotiations fail and hostilities resume, though specific details were not disclosed in the sources.
Are US-Iran talks definitely happening in Pakistan?
No — while Trump has expressed optimism about talks occurring “relatively quickly” in Pakistan, Iranian officials have rejected negotiations under current conditions, and a Reuters source said Vice President JD Vance had not left for Pakistan on Monday, leaving the status of talks uncertain.
How is the blockade affecting global markets?
Brent crude oil rose 5.6% to $95.48 a barrel on Monday due to tensions over the Strait of Hormuz blockade, though the increase was described as more moderate than during earlier stages of the conflict.
