U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Under Strain as Peace Talks Stall

CNBC reported Saturday that Washington and Tehran remain at an impasse over ending more than two months of armed conflict, with fighting near the Strait of Hormuz intensifying even as U.S. diplomats push for a formal peace framework.

Tehran’s Silence Frustrates Washington

Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled Friday that an Iranian reply was expected within hours. By Saturday, none had arrived. The U.S. proposal would formally halt hostilities before tackling harder issues, most notably Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Rubio met Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in Miami on Saturday, with the two sides agreeing to keep coordinating on regional stability. Axios reported that envoy Steve Witkoff also attended the talks.

A Tanker Tests the Waters

A Qatari liquefied natural gas vessel edged toward the strait Saturday, bound for Pakistan. Sources told CNBC that Iran had quietly approved the transit as a goodwill gesture toward Qatar and Pakistan, both acting as mediators. If the ship completes its passage, it would be the first Qatari LNG tanker to do so since hostilities began. Before the conflict, roughly one-fifth of global oil supply moved through the narrow waterway, making its disruption a live threat to world energy supplies.

How the War Began

U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28 triggered the conflict. Tehran responded by largely shutting non-Iranian commercial shipping out of the strait. The U.S. imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports last month, and President Donald Trump unveiled “Project Freedom” to escort vessels through the waterway before suspending the initiative after 48 hours. The pause followed a sharp spike in Iranian attacks on Gulf states hosting American military bases.

Ceasefire in Name Only

Fresh clashes broke out Friday between U.S. and Iranian naval forces inside the strait. The U.S. military struck two Iran-linked vessels attempting to enter an Iranian port. The UAE separately reported intercepting two ballistic missiles and three drones of Iranian origin, leaving three people with moderate injuries. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi blamed Washington for choosing military action over diplomacy. Trump, speaking Thursday, maintained the ceasefire declared on April 7 was broadly holding. A CIA assessment, first cited by the Washington Post, reportedly found the blockade would not impose severe economic pain on Iran for roughly another four months, a finding a senior intelligence official disputed. With Trump set to visit China next week, pressure to resolve the standoff before a wider diplomatic distraction grows heavier by the day.