Iran rejects maximalist US demands as Pakistan brokers ceasefire talks

Iran's foreign minister on Friday rejected what a diplomatic source described as "maximalist" US demands during Pakistan-brokered negotiations, as the fragile ceasefire following February's US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran continued to hold.

The standoff has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally flows — driving Brent crude futures up 16 percent in a single week and amplifying pressure on both sides to reach a deal.

An Iranian diplomatic source in Islamabad told Reuters that Tehran would not yield to terms it views as excessive. "Principally, Iranian side will not accept maximalist demands," the source said Friday, summarizing Tehran's position in the Pakistan-mediated talks.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had laid out Washington's core condition earlier this week. "Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely. All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways," Hegseth told reporters, according to Reuters.

The conflict erupted Feb. 28, 2026, when US and Israeli forces struck Iran. Tehran responded with strikes against Israel, American military installations and Gulf states before moving to close the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump later unilaterally extended a two-week ceasefire to buy additional negotiating time, with senior envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner among the US officials engaged in the effort.

The economic toll has been sharp. Only five ships transited the strait during the 24-hour period covered by the talks — against roughly 130 daily crossings before the war — according to Vortexa, a shipping data analytics firm. Brent crude futures climbed 16 percent this week as traders assessed whether a deal was within reach.

Iran's defense establishment signaled it sees no reason to accept unfavorable terms. "The enemy, whose objective of crippling Iran's missile and military capabilities has failed, is now seeking an honorable exit from the quagmire of war. Iran is today in firm control of the Strait of Hormuz," an Iranian defense ministry spokesperson said, according to Iranian media. A rare positive signal emerged Saturday when international flights resumed at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport. "Well, it's a good feeling. When flights resume, trade is done, and people can do their jobs. It's a good feeling," one traveler at the airport told Reuters.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has hosted the Iranian delegation, positioning Islamabad as a neutral go-between. Reuters reported that the war has killed thousands since fighting began in February, underscoring the stakes of any diplomatic breakthrough.

No new negotiating session has been announced. With US Vice President JD Vance and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt both commenting publicly on the talks, Washington has signaled it is closely tracking whether the ceasefire can survive the distance between the two sides' positions.