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Iran’s President Pezeshkian says Tehran welcomes dialogue, but the US naval blockade is an 'obstacle to genuine negotiations'; White House says President Trump has not set a deadline for Iran to submit a peace proposal, pushing back on reports suggesting a fixed timeline.

Trump sets no deadline for Iran proposal, White House says

DOHA: A US naval blockade of Iranian ports is likely to squeeze Iran&#39;s oil output in the coming weeks but claims it will throw the Islamic republic into economic free fall remain premature, analysts say. After weeks of bombing and counter-strikes, focus has shifted to the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, which ordinarily carries around a fifth of the world&#39;s oil and liquefied natural gas. In response to Iran&#39;s blockade of the strait since the start of the war, the US imposed a counter-blockade of the Islamic republic&#39;s ports, a push to force its leaders into a compromise in peace talks. That bid, however, looks set to fail, at least in the short term. &quot;If the blockade lasts for more than two or three months, it can cause more damage&quot; to Iran, economic analyst and professor at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran Saeed Laylaz told AFP. &quot;If Iran suffers any damage, the damage to the countries in the southern Persian Gulf will definitely be greater,&quot; he added. There&#39;s a limit on how long Iran can bide its time, however. Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, chief analyst at Global Risk Management said Iran &quot;was expected to run out of storage capacity within approximately one month, but it may already be forced to shut in part of its oil production within a couple of weeks&quot;.&nbsp;&#39;Collapsing financially&#39;?&nbsp;Trump said Tuesday that Iran was &quot;collapsing financially&quot; under the blockade imposed by the US Navy on April 12, claiming that the country was &quot;starving for cash&quot;. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the blockade meant storage at Iran&#39;s Kharg Island, the main export terminal through which most of the country&#39;s crude is shipped, &quot;will be full and the fragile Iranian oil wells will be shut in&quot;. Jamie Ingram, managing editor of Middle East Economic Survey (MEES), told AFP it was likely the timeline for Iran to hit its oil storage limits would be measured in &quot;weeks rather than days&quot;. He added it was likely that &quot;Iran will slightly reduce production before getting to the stage where storage constraints start to bite&quot;. According to analysis by oil expert Homayoun Falakshahi shared by energy intelligence firm Kpler, Iran&#39;s crude production has already slowed since the start of the war. Output fell by around 200,000 barrels per day in March to 3.68 million bpd and is expected to drop a further 420,000 bpd in April to about 3.43 million bpd, reflecting &quot;the broader impact of export disruptions and refining constraints linked to the ongoing conflict,&quot; Falakshahi said. But Laylaz in Tehran said beyond the psychological effect of the blockade, the &quot;real material effect has been small so far&quot;. Ingram said Kharg Island &quot;shouldn&#39;t be a particular bottleneck,&quot; for Iran. &quot;This is the final storage facility used before oil is exported and Iran can divert crude oil to other facilities rather than straight to Kharg,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&#39;Mutually assured disruption&#39;&nbsp;The MEES expert also said Iran&#39;s dependency on oil exports via Hormuz had &quot;deepened due to the damage caused by US and Israeli strikes to other sections of the Iranian economy&quot;. &quot;But Iran has also proven its ability to withstand huge oil-revenue declines during previous rounds of sanctions. I would not underestimate the regime&#39;s resilience in this regard,&quot; he added. As the initial two-week truce between Iran and the US was set to expire Trump had said Tuesday, he would maintain the ceasefire to allow more time for peace talks. Iran said it welcomed the efforts by mediator Pakistan but made no other comment on Trump&#39;s announcement, while vowing not to reopen Hormuz so long as the US blockade remains in place. &quot;It will take a long time before such economic pain forces Iran to compromise,&quot; Ingram said, explaining it is &quot;more likely economic disruption... pushes China into exerting more pressure on Iran to negotiate&quot;. Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said &quot;Iran&#39;s economy was battered before the war, is contending with added strains caused during it, and now faces the combination of sanctions, seizures and potential strikes&quot;. &quot;Iran&#39;s leadership has previously shown a high threshold for pain even if the pressure on ordinary Iranians increases. It also likely calculates that its own efforts to subdue traffic through Hormuz act as a sort of mutually assured disruption,&quot; he added.

A US naval blockade of Iranian ports is likely to squeeze Iran's oil output in the coming weeks but claims it will throw the Islamic republic into economic free fall remain premature, analysts say.

Iran economy looks set to withstand US naval blockade

HONG KONG, China: Equities fell and oil prices rose Thursday amid continuing US-Iran tensions. Investors have spent most of the week upbeat that a breakthrough to end the seven-week conflict will be made soon, while healthy earnings and a resumption of the AI trade has also provided support. Crude prices jumped as much as four percent in early Asian business after global security monitors and Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guards said Iranian forces had seized two ships and fired on a third in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has said vessels must seek permission to leave or enter the Gulf through the waterway, which in peacetime accounts for around a fifth of the world&#39;s oil and gas exports along with other vital commodities. However, the White House said Donald Trump did not consider the move to be a ceasefire violation because the vessels are not American or Israeli. Meanwhile, Iran&#39;s parliament speaker said the Islamic republic would not reopen the Strait as long as the US naval blockade remained, calling it a &quot;blatant violation&quot; of the two countries&#39; ceasefire. &quot;A complete ceasefire only has meaning if it is not violated through a naval blockade... Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not possible amid a blatant violation of the ceasefire,&quot; speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X. Still, Trump&#39;s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said he &quot;has not set a firm deadline to receive an Iranian proposal&quot; for talks. &quot;Ultimately, the timeline will be dictated by the commander in chief,&quot; she told journalists. Oil prices Oil prices remained elevated Thursday, with Brent holding above $100 following a surge to more than $106 in the morning. Equities fell, though, with Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Taipei, Mumbai, Bangkok and Wellington all down. But Seoul rose to a new record thanks to a fresh rally in the tech sector that has been the backbone of a surge in the Kospi index this year.&nbsp;London and Frankfurt fell but Paris edged up.&nbsp; &quot;Whether it&#39;s conflict fatigue or confidence that the conflict between the US and Iran will be resolved soon, there is limited evidence that the rise in the oil price dampened bond and equity markets,&quot; said National Australia Bank&#39;s Skye Masters. However, she added that the Washington Post had reported a senior Defense Department warned it could take six months to fully clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines and that such an operation would probably not unlikely start before the end of the war. Financial markets &quot;It is questionable whether financial markets are correctly pricing the reality that supply constraints will remain an issue for some time,&quot; she wrote. Raphael Olszyna-Marzys, of Bank J Safra Sarasin, added: &quot;Financial markets are pricing a high likelihood that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will soon normalize. &quot;Our game-theory model suggests that a narrow agreement to reopen the strait is in both parties&#39; best interests. This outcome remains our base case. But it also reveals that a misreading of the other party&#39;s intentions could lead to a further ratcheting-up of tensions before we get there.&quot; Investors took some heart from strong earnings reports, with South Korean chip titan SK hynix posting a nearly 400% jump in net profit that hit a record for January-March thanks to the artificial intelligence boom. That came after Tesla announced forecast-topping first-quarter profits and Texas Instruments offered a healthy outlook. Bloomberg said almost 80% of the S&amp;P 500 firms that have reported first-quarter earnings had beaten analyst estimates so far. Key figures at 0810 GMT West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.8% at $93.74 a barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.0% at $102.92 a barrelTokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.8% at 59,140.23 (close)Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.0% at 25,915.20Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.3% at 4,093.25 (close)London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3% at 10,442.71Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1700 from $1.1709 on WednesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3488 from $1.3506Dollar/yen: DOWN at 159.63 yen from 159.49 yenEuro/pound: UP at 86.76 pence from 86.70 pence

Business

Crude prices jumped as much as four percent in early Asian business after global security monitors and Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Iranian forces had seized two ships and fired on a third in the Strait of Hormuz.

Stocks sink and oil rises amid continuing US-Iran tensions

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir,&nbsp;has emerged as an unusually prominent and hands-on mediator in efforts to revive US-Iran diplomacy, with the Financial Times highlighting his distinctive approach and rare access to both sides. According to the Financial Times, Field Marshal&nbsp;Munir has combined &ldquo;links to Iran&rsquo;s security establishment with personal ties&rdquo; to Donald Trump, positioning himself as a bridge between two deeply mistrustful adversaries.&nbsp; Trump himself underscored that relationship, describing the Pakistani general as &ldquo;fantastic.&rdquo; A key strength of Field Marshal&nbsp;Munir&rsquo;s role, the report notes, lies in his ability to engage across Iran&rsquo;s complex power structure.&nbsp; Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group said Munir has &ldquo;good connections&rdquo; with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and &ldquo;understands their language,&rdquo; an advantage few mediators possess. Rather than relying on narrow diplomatic channels, Field Marshal&nbsp;Munir has adopted what experts describe as a &ldquo;whole-of-the-system approach to mediation.&rdquo; By spending extended time in Tehran and engaging both civilian and military leadership, he has sought to ensure that &ldquo;there&rsquo;s no power center [in Iran] that feels left out,&rdquo; Vaez said. The Financial Times also portrays Field Marshal&nbsp;Munir as a highly active and visible negotiator.&nbsp; He has remained in direct contact with the White House while simultaneously conducting in-person diplomacy in Iran, reflecting a level of personal involvement that contrasts with more traditional, team-driven negotiations. His efforts have already yielded limited but notable results.&nbsp; The report says Trump agreed to extend a ceasefire &ldquo;citing a request from Munir&rdquo; and Pakistan&rsquo;s leadership, a sign of the general&rsquo;s influence in Washington. Field Marshal&nbsp;Munir&rsquo;s emergence has also been supported by improving ties between Washington and Islamabad, allowing Pakistan to step into a role typically played by Gulf states or European powers. Despite limited prior experience in US-Iran mediation, the Financial Times notes that Pakistan has &ldquo;surfaced as a surprise lead mediator.&rdquo; Even observers cautious about the broader prospects of talks acknowledge the seriousness of the effort.&nbsp; As Vali Nasr told the newspaper, Pakistani interlocutors are &ldquo;serious,&rdquo; reflecting a sustained commitment to keeping negotiations alive. The report suggests that Field Marshal&nbsp;Munir&rsquo;s combination of military credibility, political access and an unorthodox, system-wide engagement strategy has made him a distinctive and potentially consequential player in one of the world&rsquo;s most difficult diplomatic challenges.

Foreign Affairs

According to the Financial Times, Field Marshal Munir has combined 'links to Iran’s security establishment with personal ties' to President Donald Trump, positioning himself as a bridge between two deeply mistrustful adversaries. 

Pakistani military chief trying to save US-Iran talks: FT

Web Desk/AFP

US Vice President JD Vance steps off Marine Two before departing on Air Force Two from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on April 14, 2026. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump indicated earlier that Vice President JD Vance would not make the trip; In a telephonic conversation, PM Sharif apprises President Pezeshkian of talks with regional leaders for peace

Day 51: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

Navy vessel is seen sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which much of the world's oil and gas passes, on March 1, 2026. (File photo: AFP)

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf describes the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as a “clumsy and ignorant decision,” saying tensions nearly escalated during behind-the-scenes talks involving an American minesweeper near the strategic waterway.

All you need to know about Day 50 of US-Israel war on Iran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s prime minister concluded his trip to Turkiye on Saturday, he said in a social media post, ending a three-country diplomatic blitz as Islamabad pushes for an end to the US-Israeli war on Iran. &quot;I leave Antalya, with fond memories and a renewed commitment to further strengthening the enduring fraternal bonds between our two nations, and to continuing our close cooperation to advance dialogue and diplomacy for lasting peace and stability in the region,&quot; Shehbaz Sharif said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2045385343789092971&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9eba5fae7b8021885d4040a30d196f03084a559e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 554px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>In a separate post on X, Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated: &quot;We have just concluded the last leg of our engagements following productive and fruitful visits, accompanying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif @CMShehbaz&nbsp;to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where we held meaningful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas.&quot; &quot;At the #AntalyaDiplomacyForum, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also had an excellent interaction with the President of T&uuml;rkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and engaged meaningfully with other leaders on the sidelines of the forum,&quot; the foreign minister said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-6" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-6&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2045387103098335388&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9eba5fae7b8021885d4040a30d196f03084a559e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&quot;I also held a series of important engagements and exchanges.&quot; &#39;Global space for dialogue&#39;Dar said, &quot;This platform has truly evolved into a global space for dialogue, bringing together diverse perspectives in support of peace, stability, and cooperation.&quot; He extended his appreciation to the government and people of T&uuml;rkiye for their warm hospitality and excellent arrangements. Trilateral meeting&nbsp;Earlier, Pakistan&#39;s prime minister had a trilateral meeting with T&uuml;rkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, on the sidelines of the Fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, according to a post on X by the Pakistani premier.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-7" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-7&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2045377599359095159&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9eba5fae7b8021885d4040a30d196f03084a559e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 707px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2045377599359095159"></iframe></div></div>

Says, 'I leave Antalya, with fond memories and a renewed commitment to further strengthening the enduring fraternal bonds between our two nations, and to continuing our close cooperation to advance dialogue and diplomacy for lasting peace and stability in the region.'

Pakistan PM completes three-country diplomatic tour aimed at Iran peace

ISLAMABAD: Foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, T&uuml;rkiye and Egypt reaffirmed the vital role of dialogue and diplomacy in promoting peace in a meeting in Antalya. &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, T&uuml;rkiye, and Egypt held their third consultative meeting in Antalya, on the sidelines of #AntalyaDiplomacyForum,&quot; said a post shared on X on Saturday by Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2045384406215675935&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9eba5fae7b8021885d4040a30d196f03084a559e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2045384406215675935"></iframe></div></div>&quot;They exchanged views on evolving regional dynamics, reaffirming the vital role of dialogue and diplomacy in promoting peace, stability, and shared prosperity.&quot; The foreign ministers expressed a shared commitment to advancing this partnership, deepening coordination and expanding collaboration across key areas of mutual interest, the post said.

The foreign ministers express a shared commitment to deepening coordination and expanding collaboration across key areas of mutual interest.

Pakistan, Saudi, Türkiye and Egypt FMs reaffirm role of dialogue for peace

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir concluded his Iran visit, where in his meetings with senior Iranian officials, he underscored the need for dialogue for regional peace. CDF Munir, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi along with a delegation, concluded a three-day official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, said a press release issued by Pakistan military&rsquo;s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday. During the visit, the Field Marshal called on the President of Iran, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian and held separate meetings with Speaker of the National Assembly Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Commander of Khatamul Anbiya Headquarters Major General Ali Abdollahi.&nbsp;Need for dialogue&nbsp;The discussions were focused upon bringing sustainable peace to the region, with particular emphasis on the evolving regional security environment, ongoing diplomatic engagements, and collaborative measures aimed at promoting enduring peace and stability in the region. Field Marshal Munir underscored the need for dialogue, de-escalation, and peaceful resolution of outstanding issues through sustained diplomatic engagements. He expressed deep appreciation for the warm hospitality extended by the Iranian leadership and the people of Iran. CDF Munir conveyed sincere regards and best wishes from the president, the prime minister, and the people of Pakistan to the Iranian leadership, reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s desire to further strengthen the historic and brotherly ties between the two countries. The visit reflects Pakistan&rsquo;s unwavering resolve to facilitate a negotiated settlement to the Middle East conflict and to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

Security

Underscores the need for dialogue, de-escalation, and peaceful resolution of outstanding issues through sustained diplomatic engagements, during discussions in Iran.

Pakistan’s CDF Munir concludes Iran visit, pushes dialogue for regional peace 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar appreciated UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper&rsquo;s support of Islamabad&rsquo;s role in facilitating the initial US-Iran ceasefire, hosting the Islamabad Talks, and the south Asian country&#39;s continued efforts to promote dialogue and diplomacy for peace and stability. Dar in a post on X on Saturday stated, &ldquo;On the margins of the #AntalyaDiplomacyForum, I had a good meeting with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper @YvetteCooperMP.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2045364760879759590&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9eba5fae7b8021885d4040a30d196f03084a559e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2045364760879759590">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;We exchanged views on the evolving regional situation and recent developments.&rdquo; &ldquo;I appreciate her kind acknowledgment and support of Pakistan&rsquo;s role in facilitating the initial US-Iran ceasefire, hosting the Islamabad talks, and our continued efforts to promote dialogue and diplomacy for peace and stability.&rdquo; &ldquo;Look forward to remaining closely engaged on further strengthening Pakistan-UK relations,&rdquo; Dar said further.

Says, ‘I appreciate her kind acknowledgment and support of Pakistan’s role in facilitating the initial US-Iran ceasefire, hosting the Islamabad talks, and our continued efforts to promote dialogue and diplomacy for peace and stability.’

Pakistan FM appreciates UK counterpart’s acknowledgment, support for peace efforts

ISLAMABAD: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has triggered a severe disruption to global energy supplies, with Asia expected to suffer &ldquo;the most,&rdquo; global maritime analytics firm Kpler told AFP. The strait, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which nearly a fifth of the world&rsquo;s crude oil and significant volumes of gas flow, has been effectively shut to commercial shipping since US-Israeli strikes on Iran escalated into a broader regional conflict. The crisis has rapidly evolved into a global energy shock, with International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol describing it as &ldquo;the greatest global energy security threat in history.&rdquo; At the same time, the standoff between Tehran and Washington continues to deepen. US President Donald Trump has warned that reopening the Strait of Hormuz remains a key condition for any ceasefire, while Iran has signaled it will maintain pressure over the strategic route. Asia takes the brunt&ldquo;We think Asia will, for now, be the ones suffering the most,&rdquo; said Kpler president Jean Maynier. &ldquo;There is almost no crude oil arriving&hellip; and inventories are being depleted,&rdquo; he added. Around 84% of oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz is destined for Asia, leaving major economies such as China, India, Japan and South Korea particularly exposed. China alone imported 5.4 million barrels per day through the strait in the first quarter, while India relied on roughly 2.1 million barrels per day, underscoring the scale of dependence on Gulf energy flows. Experts say that while short-term buffers exist, including elevated global inventories, spare OPEC capacity and US shale output, a prolonged closure would still significantly disrupt supply access. &ldquo;A full closure&hellip; would still impact the accessibility of a major part of this spare production capacity,&rdquo; analysts noted. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have limited infrastructure to bypass the strait, but their combined capacity, around 2.6 million barrels per day, falls far short of offsetting the disruption. Europe, US less exposedWhile global prices have surged, Europe and the United States are comparatively less vulnerable. However, secondary effects are emerging. LNG shipments are being redirected toward Asia, raising concerns over shortages in Europe, while energy prices are expected to remain elevated. Even so, analysts warn that no region is fully insulated from the shock. Leaders under pressureThe crisis is placing growing pressure on global leaders as markets react to prolonged uncertainty. President Trump has alternated between threats and diplomacy, warning of potential strikes on Iran&rsquo;s energy infrastructure while also signaling openness to negotiations. Iran, meanwhile, has denied direct talks while continuing to assert control over Hormuz. G7 ministers have pledged to take &ldquo;any necessary measures&rdquo; to stabilize markets, while emergency oil stock releases are being considered to ease supply constraints. Analysts say the duration of the disruption has caught markets off guard. &ldquo;What is surprising is the length of this event&hellip; especially in Asia, the crisis that we have now with energy,&rdquo; Maynier said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really bad for Asia and we are not optimistic if the event continues.&rdquo; The closure of Hormuz highlights how the conflict has moved beyond military confrontation, turning critical trade routes into strategic pressure points &mdash; with Asia now at the center of the global economic fallout.

Asia

Hormuz closure disrupts global energy flows, with Asia hardest hit as supplies drop sharply, while Trump and Tehran harden positions, deepening uncertainty and driving price volatility across markets already strained by prolonged regional conflict.

Articles tagged with "Strait of Hormuz"

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