Iran rejects talks amid naval blockade, US team to travel to Pakistan

Iran has rejected taking part in the second-round talks with the United States, reported Xinhua, quoting media.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said that Iran has currently no decision to send a negotiating delegation for peace talks with the United States, reported Xinhua.

The Iranian team has stressed that as long as the U.S. "anti-Iran" naval blockade remains in place, there will be no negotiation with Washington, according to the report.

Tasnim said it has received information that the exchange of messages between Iran and the United States through Pakistan has continued during the recent days.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the U.S. "unlawful and criminal" blockade of Iran's ports and coastline is in violation of the two-week ceasefire between the two countries.

He made the remarks in a post on social media platform X one day after Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, announced that the country has resumed exercising strict control over the Strait of Hormuz due to the continuation of the U.S. blockade of the waterway.

Iran has tightened its control over the strait since the United States and Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on the Islamic Republic, barring passage to vessels linked to Israel and the United States. The United States later imposed its own restrictions after peace talks with Iran in Islamabad collapsed.

The Iranian and U.S. delegations were reportedly expected to hold another round of peace talks in Pakistan soon.

Meanwhile, ahead of the expiry on Tuesday of the two-week ceasefire declared by US President Donald Trump in the conflict with Iran, US media outlets reported on Sunday that negotiators Steve Witkoff, special envoy for peace missions and Jared Kushner will head to Islamabad for talks with Iran, reported ANI.

Trump's Middle East envoy is headed to Pakistan this week to restart negotiations to end the Iran War, the US commander-in-chief told The New York Post.

"Steve's going to be going there tomorrow night," Trump said in a phone call on Sunday from the White House to the New York Post, confirming that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will land in Islamabad on Monday night ahead of a second round of peace talks, according to the New York Post. The president added that Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, will also be involved with the talks scheduled for Tuesday.

In an interview with Fox News's Trey Yingst today, Trump said there is an ongoing fight between "moderates" and "crazies" in Iran amid negotiations with the US while confirming that Kushner and Witkoff were departing for Islamabad for talks.

"If the deal isn't done, the deal that we made, then I'm going to take out their bridges and their power plants," Trump said.

"If they don't sign this thing, the whole country is going to get blown up." Fox News cited Trump as saying.

"We're preparing to hit them harder than any country has ever been hit before because you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon," the US President continued as per the US broadcaster. Trump went on to say that Iran has "agreed to much" of the deal already.

Meanwhile, in a post on Truth Social today, he warned of severe repercussions, including an attack on Iranian energy and civil infrastructure, if Iran "doesn't take the deal."

"Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz -- A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn't nice, was it? My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan -- They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations."

On the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, he claimed that it was Iran on the losing end with the closure causing a loss of USD 500 million per day to the country while claiming that the "United States loses nothing".

He reiterated the assertion of a fair deal on the table for Iran and said that he would no longer remain a "nice guy" and that the US would strike Iran's power plants and bridges.

The two-week ceasefire is set to end on April 22. CNN reported that Iran has not immediately confirmed the plans.The first round of ceasefire negotiations ended in a gridlock between Tehran and Washington over the energy artery- Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear capacities.

US, Iran accuse each other of ceasefire breach

Iran and the United States on Sunday accused each other of ceasefire breach, reported Xinhua.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the U.S. so-called "blockade" of Iran's ports and coastlines violated the ceasefire, calling it "unlawful and criminal."

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Iran of committing a "serious violation" of the ceasefire, according to Jonathan Karl, ABC News' chief Washington correspondent, who wrote on X on Sunday that Trump told him so.

Karl added that Trump told him that an agreement would be reached "one way or another. The nice way or the hard way."

In his Truth Social post on Sunday morning, Trump said the U.S. representatives are going to Islamabad on Monday for a new round of negotiations.

The United States is "offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don't, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran," Trump added.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained at a standstill on Sunday after the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iran, prompting Iran to reassert control over the strategic waterway.

Iran says ready for both diplomacy and military confrontation

Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran is pursuing diplomatic efforts while remaining prepared for military confrontation, stressing that Iran does not trust its adversaries and stands ready to respond to further escalation.

In a televised address on Saturday, Qalibaf said the latest conflict began during negotiations, which he accused the United States of undermining through "deception," according to Tasnim News Agency.

Qalibaf said Iran does not claim to possess greater overall military power than the United States, acknowledging Washington's superior resources, but maintained that Tehran considers itself to have prevailed based on its performance and outcomes.

Qalibaf described Iran as having achieved success both "on the ground and in diplomacy," while warning that tensions could escalate at any moment. He said negotiations are continuing alongside what he described as full preparedness for any necessary action.

He also reiterated Iran's distrust of its opponents and said Tehran remains committed to pursuing a lasting peace, while seeking guarantees that would prevent a return to cycles of war, ceasefire and renewed conflict.