The German Government called on Iran to “seize the opportunity” provided by the current truce with the United States to pursue diplomatic negotiations in Islamabad to prevent a resumption of hostilities.
In an April 23 statement, the German government also called on Tehran to halt its military nuclear programme, cease threats to Israel and other neighbouring states, and ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is opened “permanently, reliably and without restrictions or fees”.
“If a comprehensive agreement is reached, the German government is ready to gradually relax the existing restrictive measures together with its partners,” the statement said. – If, on the other hand, Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz, the German government is ready to discuss additional sanctions.”
The statement added that after a “lasting” peace is achieved, Germany and its allies are ready to “promote freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with international law and national procedures.”
Late in the evening of 21 April, the US president announced, one day before the end of the ceasefire with Iran, that the truce would be extended.
As Donald Trump noted, he decided to extend the truce at the request of the authorities of Pakistan, the mediator in the negotiations between the US and Iran. Trump did not name a new deadline, noting that the US will wait until Iranian authorities formulate a “unified” negotiating position. According to Trump, there is now a split in Iran’s leadership.
At the same time, the US president noted that the United States will continue to blockade Iran’s ports.
Meanwhile, Iran’s chief negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, criticised the US blockade of Iranian ports amid uncertainty over the prospects for further peace talks with the United States, repeating Tehran’s claim that the restriction is a violation of the ceasefire the countries had agreed on earlier in April.
Qalibaf added that “the restoration of the Strait of Hormuz is impossible with such a blatant violation of the ceasefire.”
Qalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation to talks with the United States in Islamabad earlier this month that did not lead to an agreement, made no direct comment on the prospect of a second round of talks or on US President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the two-week ceasefire that was due to expire on 22 April.