• Source:JND

Tehran has reportedly claimed that a phone conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Vice President JD Vance of the United States, which occurred during ongoing negotiations, may have disrupted a possible agreement between the US and Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated that the conversation diverted attention from efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to Iran and instead, Israel's strategic interests became the primary consideration of both parties. 

According to the media reports, he said the US attempted to secure through negotiations what it could not achieve militarily, while maintaining that Iran had engaged in the talks in good faith. He also described Vance’s post-talks press conference as unnecessary.

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"Netanyahu's call to Vance during the meeting shifted the focus from US-Iran negotiations to Israel's interests. The US tried to achieve at the negotiating table what it could not achieve through war," NDTV quoted Araghchi. 

The high-level discussions, hosted in Islamabad, ended without an agreement after more than 21 hours, with the US delegation leaving empty-handed. Washington has neither confirmed nor denied the reported call.

The breakdown comes at a sensitive time, with a fragile ceasefire, brokered earlier in April, facing uncertainty as its deadline approaches. Iranian officials and regional mediators reportedly viewed the US demands as unacceptable. According to the Iranian government, the conditions that the United States attempted to put on Iran were unacceptable. The US was not only attempting to guarantee free passage through the Strait of Hormuz but also trying to get Iran to agree to dismantle its uranium enrichment program and transfer its nuclear stockpile.

Change In Oil Prices

The breakdown of the diplomatic talks has reignited concern in the international energy markets. Oil prices, which had briefly dropped from a peak of USD 119 before April 9 to USD 95, will be pressured again if hostilities escalate.

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Since March, the amount of commercial shipping moving through the Straits of Hormuz has decreased dramatically due to the increased security risk associated with transporting goods through this part of the world. Reportedly, Iran has placed mines, drones, and missile batteries in the area and is charging more than USD 1 million to transit through its territorial waters. This charging practice is being universally condemned under international maritime law.

This lack of resolution has further illustrated the divisions among NATO allies in the region. Spanish and Italian governments are reportedly not supportive of any US military operations against Iran. Several other NATO member nations and Gulf allies have indicated that they will proceed cautiously in the case of increased hostilities against Iran, and, as a result, the United States finds itself increasingly isolated in its policies toward the Islamic Republic.

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