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Despite an ongoing U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports and new threats from Iran, the Trump administration said the prospect of a deal with Tehran to end the war in the Middle East “feels good.”

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Speaking to reporters at a news briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Pakistani capital of Islamabad would likely be the location of a potential second round of in-person talks.

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“Nothing is official until you hear it from us here at the White House,” Leavitt said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir met in Tehran with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the latest diplomatic move to ease tensions.

In a post on X, Araghchi said he was “delighted” to welcome Munir to Iran and said he “expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s gracious hosting of dialogue, emphasizing that it reflects our deep and great bilateral relationship.

“Our commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region remains strong — and shared,” he added.

Despite both sides stating that they are making progress toward a peaceful end to the war, the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports has entered its third day, while Iran’s military has threatened to further disrupt shipping traffic by halting vessels in the Red Sea.

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Iran threatens to disrupt Gulf trade in response to U.S. naval blockade

The commander of Iran’s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade.

According to a CNN report citing the state-run Tasnim news agency, Abdollahi said Iran “would not allow any exports or imports to continue in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea under such conditions.”

While Iran does not border the Red Sea, its Houthi allies in Yemen have previously targeted vessels travelling through the shipping corridor.

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Bessent announces new sanctions on Iran

In a move aimed at inflicting more economic pain on Iran, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the White House has warned countries and private companies they could face sanctions for doing business with Tehran.

Bessent warned that the U.S. is preparing to ramp up economic pain on Iran by levying secondary sanctions on financial institutions that do business with Tehran as the Islamic Republic keeps up its closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

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The new punishment targets oil transport infrastructure by slapping sanctions on more than two dozen people, companies and ships that operate within the network of petroleum shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the Treasury Department said.

Shamkhani’s father was a top political adviser to Iran’s slain supreme leader, ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and was also killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes, the department said.

Blockade ‘fully implemented,’ U.S. admiral says

According to Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, their “forces have completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea.”

The command said Wednesday that no vessels had made it past its forces during the blockade’s first 48 hours. The blockade began Monday.

Central Command noted that 10 vessels had complied with directions to turn around and return toward an Iranian port or Iran’s coastal area.

The blockade is being enforced “impartially against all vessels of all nations entering or leaving coastal areas or ports in Iran,” the command said. Vessels avoiding Iranian ports are not affected.

The action could put serious pressure on the Iranian economy, while Tehran’s earlier cutoff of the waterway crucial to oil and gas supplies has sent energy prices higher.

— With files from The Associated Press and AFP.

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