Iran rejects US talks under threats and blockade, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday, as oil prices surged to five-month highs and a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile near the Strait of Hormuz.
“It is unacceptable to block all avenues and issue threats while simultaneously demanding talks,” Pezeshkian said, according to Al Jazeera. “I believe that one should not enter into a pact lightly, but once a pact is made, one must remain committed to it until the end, even if it proves disadvantageous.”
His remarks landed a day after Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, held mediation talks with him in Tehran, a diplomatic track Washington has publicly acknowledged.
Mediation efforts continue as Iran rejects US talks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed mediation efforts by regional countries, telling reporters he understood that “Field Marshal Munir was actually in Tehran yesterday”. He added that any eventual agreement must prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and that the final decision rested with President Donald Trump.
“As long as President Trump is in office, they will never have a nuclear weapon,” Rubio said, according to a State Department transcript.
The comments underline Pakistan’s role as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, a track covered in earlier reporting on the Munir-Pezeshkian meeting.
Oil markets react
Oil prices jumped by more than two dollars after Iran signalled there was little reason to expect diplomatic progress. Brent crude futures rose $2.06, or 1.9 per cent, to $110.85 a barrel, hovering near five-month highs, while US West Texas Intermediate gained $2.13 to $99.95. Falling American crude and product inventories added further support.
The price action followed an incident off the Omani coast, where a tanker was hit by “an unknown projectile” about 11 nautical miles off the town of Bukha, near the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a fire. The vessel is now at anchor, all crew are reported safe, and there is no reported environmental impact, according to the British maritime security agency UKMTO.
Saudi Arabia’s crude exports rose about 7.9 per cent in August to 4.451 million barrels per day, the highest since March, even as the kingdom’s oil production fell to a record low, official data showed.
Fighting spreads in Yemen
Yemen’s Houthis denied launching any drones toward the Saudi holy city of Madina or conducting military operations toward Saudi Arabia, rejecting claims by the Saudi-led coalition, which said it had intercepted five drones over the kingdom, including in the Madina region and the Eastern region.
At the same time, the Houthis said they had attacked a Saudi-run military camp near the airport in Aden with a ballistic missile, and targeted a military base at Al Rayyan airport in Al Mukalla with missiles and drones.
The United States is also pressing Iraq to close more border crossings to tighten pressure on Tehran, after Baghdad shut the Sheeb crossing with Iran until further notice.
Why it matters for Pakistan
Pakistan sits at the intersection of every strand of this crisis: mediator between Washington and Tehran, neighbour of Iran with a freshly reopened border, and an oil importer exposed to every spike in crude prices. A sustained run above $110 a barrel would feed directly into Pakistan’s import bill and domestic fuel prices, which are already revised daily under the government’s new pricing mechanism.
The trajectory of the wider Iran conflict, including reported US strike planning, will shape both the diplomacy and the markets in the days ahead.
What happens next
All eyes are now on whether the mediation channel through Pakistan and Qatar can produce movement, or whether the cycle of strikes and counter-strikes hardens positions further. Pezeshkian’s blunt rejection of talks under threats suggests Tehran will not engage without sanctions relief and an end to hostilities, conditions Washington has so far not met.
Frequently asked questions
What did Iran’s president say about talks with the US?
Masoud Pezeshkian said the US cannot expect dialogue with Iran while blockading and threatening it, calling it unacceptable to demand talks while blocking all avenues.
Why did oil prices jump?
Brent crude rose to $110.85, near five-month highs, after Iran dampened hopes of diplomatic progress with the US, compounded by falling American inventories and a tanker struck near the Strait of Hormuz.
What is Pakistan’s role in the Iran-US standoff?
Pakistan is acting as a mediator. Field Marshal Asim Munir held talks with Pezeshkian in Tehran, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly welcomed the mediation efforts.
What happened near the Strait of Hormuz?
A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile off Oman near the strait, caught fire and is now at anchor. All crew are safe, with no environmental impact reported.
