Pakistan leads new mediation between Iran and the United States

An Iranian official began a series of meetings with mediators in Pakistan on Tuesday, as diplomats strive to salvage the collapsed interim agreement between Iran and the United States, amid continued mutual attacks marking the tenth consecutive day of renewed fighting.

According to two officials who requested anonymity, Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni met with Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir.

Momeni’s visit to Pakistan comes as Islamabad has intensified its diplomatic efforts in recent days to revive the agreement.

Authorities did not immediately disclose any details regarding the meeting.

It remains unclear what new arrangements could be reached to end the fighting.

Minister Momeni is also expected to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later on Tuesday.

In a separate development, Iran attacked an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday morning, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel, while the United States launched another round of airstrikes against the Islamic Republic.

The ten consecutive nights of U.S. airstrikes have failed to compel Tehran to ease its grip on the strait, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and natural gas trade passes during peacetime.

The interim agreement, signed last month and intended to halt the fighting, has collapsed.

The U.S. State Department issued a new warning to its citizens: “Iran and its supporting groups may target other U.S. interests abroad, or sites associated with the United States and Americans worldwide.”

Standard Brent crude traded on Tuesday at around $90 per barrel, while the price of regular gasoline in the United States rose to an average of $4 per gallon, increasing pressure on American budgets ahead of the midterm elections scheduled for next fall.

Former President Donald Trump wrote on social media platforms on Monday, warning: “Every time Iran kills an American soldier, it will pay for it many times over.”