Iran halts talks with US, says it will close Bab el-Mandeb Strait: Report

Iran halts talks with US, says it will close Bab el-Mandeb Strait: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 06/01/2026 - 16:46 Iran has called for an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Gaza in order to restart peace talks Vessels sail at Suru Beach in Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz, on 1 June 2026 (Amirhossein Khorgooei/Isna/AFP) Off Iran has suspended all exchanges with mediators to end the war with the US as a result of Israel’s escalating attacks on Lebanon , the Tasnim news agency reported on Monday. "Given the continuing crimes of the Zionist regime (Israel) in Lebanon and considering that Lebanon was one of the preconditions for the ceasefire and that this ceasefire has now been violated on all fronts, including Lebanon, the Iranian negotiating team is suspending dialogues and exchange of texts through mediators," Tasnim reported. Tasnim said that Iran wants an "immediate cessation" of Israel's military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Tasnim, which is close to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said that Iran and its allies had "set their determination to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate other fronts, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait" at the entrance to the Red Sea. Iran’s threat to blockade the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would mark an escalation in its steps to inflict pain on the global economy in order to force the US into concessions. Oil prices, which have been trending down the last month on expectations of a deal, shot higher on Monday. Brent, the international benchmark, was up 6.7 percent, trading at $97.28 per barrel. The report comes after US Central Command said it launched fresh strikes on Iran over the weekend, with ...

Original source: Middle East Eye