The third round of talks between the U.S. and Iran has ended with deep disagreements, with the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear issues becoming key points of contention.

ME News message. On April 12 (UTC+8), local time April 12, the third round of negotiations between Iran and the United States in Islamabad has ended. Iran described this round of talks as the “last chance” to reach a framework agreement. Since the 11th, the two sides’ negotiation agenda has been tightly packed, with consultations running deep into the night. All parties are scrambling to seize the remaining window for a temporary ceasefire to intensify their game of leverage, but sharp differences remain on three core issues: control of the Strait of Hormuz, unfreezing overseas assets, and uranium enrichment. An insider said that, due to the U.S. “sky-high demands,” no substantive progress has been achieved since the Iran–U.S. Islamabad talks began. They also noted that some Western media, for the purpose of influencing international energy prices, are exaggerating the “positive atmosphere” of the negotiations. The fourth round of talks between Iran and the United States will continue on Sunday.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei reported early this morning local time on developments in the negotiations with the United States in Islamabad, Pakistan. According to the briefing he released, negotiations between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan, began on the morning of April 11 and are still ongoing. The two sides exchanged a large amount of information, and Iran’s negotiating representatives are “doing everything they can to safeguard Iran’s rights.” The briefing stated that the Iran–U.S. sides discussed all aspects of the main negotiation topics, including the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear issues, war compensation, lifting sanctions, and completely ending wars targeting Iran and the Middle East region. The briefing emphasized that whether this diplomatic process succeeds depends on the U.S. side’s sincerity—whether the U.S. makes excessive and unlawful demands and whether it accepts Iran’s legitimate rights.

Outside the negotiating table, the U.S. military announced that it would carry out mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, while Israel’s prime minister claimed that Israel would continue to strike Iran and its proxies. With little time left in the ceasefire window, diplomatic maneuvering and military actions are escalating in parallel, and the situation in the Middle East is standing at a crossroads between war and peace. (Source: BlockBeats)