Diplomatic efforts to revive a recently collapsed interim agreement between Iran and the United States continued Tuesday as both sides maintained hostilities on the 10th day of renewed conflict. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni visited Pakistan, a key mediator in the dispute, to engage in talks aimed at de-escalating tensions, though no concrete resolution appeared imminent.
The confrontation centers heavily on control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime passage through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments previously flowed. Shipping traffic in the strait has largely come to a halt amid the fighting. The United States has launched a series of airstrikes against targets in Iran, while Tehran responded by attacking a tanker in the strait, forcing the crew to abandon ship. Additionally, Iran targeted U.S. allies in the region, with missile alerts sounding in Bahrain and Kuwait on Tuesday.
Further complicating the regional security landscape, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. This new front threatens the flow of global oil supplies and trade, as Saudi Arabia increasingly relies on a pipeline running to the Red Sea to export millions of barrels of oil. According to statements from Houthi officials and the Yemen-based SABA news agency, several ships were forced to reroute in response to warnings from the rebel group regarding transit through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic maritime chokepoint at the southern end of the Red Sea. Independent verification of these claims was not immediately available.
The ongoing escalation has contributed to rising global energy prices. Benchmark Brent crude oil traded above $90 per barrel on Tuesday, while U.S. retail gasoline prices climbed to an average of $4 per gallon, raising concerns about economic impacts ahead of the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.
During his visit to Pakistan, Momeni met with Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s chief of army staff and head of defense forces, as well as with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Officials close to the discussions described the meetings as part of closed-door negotiations to seek a path back to diplomacy. In a public statement, Sharif expressed “deep concern” over the hostilities and urged all parties to exercise restraint to prevent further destabilization of the region.
Pakistan has played a pivotal role in brokering the June interim agreement between Iran and the United States and continues to encourage both sides to resume negotiations to address unresolved issues. Despite these efforts, the situation remains volatile, with no immediate breakthrough reported as military actions persist alongside diplomatic engagement.