Iran Wants Honor in US Talks as Gaps Remain on Nukes, Hormuz

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Sunday that Tehran seeks to end its conflict with the United States "with dignity," rejecting President Donald Trump's claims that Washington can strip Iran of its nuclear rights, as the first direct U.S.-Iran negotiations in years continue in Pakistan amid a fragile ceasefire. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, serving as Tehran's top negotiator, stated that progress has been made in talks but fundamental gaps remain unresolved on nuclear issues and control of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly 25 percent of global crude oil trade. The talks in Islamabad represent the highest-level direct engagement between the two nations in years, with Washington announcing a blockade of Iranian ports while Tehran has opened and closed the strategic waterway in response to shifting ceasefire arrangements. The negotiations come as Iran and the United States wrangle over extending the current truce, which is set to expire, while both sides assess whether a broader peace agreement can be reached. Ghalibaf warned that Iran "will stand to the end" and remains prepared for war if necessary, while emphasizing that the Iranian delegation approached the talks "with goodwill but amid deep distrust." Trump has insisted he will not allow Iran to "blackmail" the United States over the Strait of Hormuz, though he described recent conversations as "very good" and said his envoys would continue traveling to Pakistan for further discussions. On the ground in Iran, citizens are struggling to maintain normalcy as the war has devastated the country's infrastructure and economy, with thousands killed during the conflict and subsequent Israeli-U.S. strikes. Many Iranians express deep anxiety about what comes after any potential peace deal, fearing that repression may intensify once external pressure eases. "The war will end, but that's when our real problems with the system begin," said one 37-year-old woman who participated in mass protests in January that were violently crushed by authorities. Analysts note that while Iran's ruling clerics have survived both the January unrest and weeks of intense bombardment, the country remains deeply polarized with few clear paths forward.