WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD/CAIRO/LONDON – US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that the United States has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and will "keep it."
Trump said on Truth Social that the US naval blockade of the waterway had been described as a "wall of steel" and said Iran lacked the capability to challenge it.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the same day that the country is making all-out efforts to help bring the US and Iran to the negotiating table and advance the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as part of broader efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
Speaking at a weekly media briefing, spokesperson for the office, Tahir Andrabi, said Pakistan remains engaged with "brotherly states" in sincere efforts to help resolve the crisis through dialogue and diplomacy.
"Pakistan remains hopeful for peace," he said, adding that the US and Iran had already held talks following an escalation in tensions.
RELATED ARTICLES
- Report: Pakistan says Iran, US close to some arrangement on peace
- Trump demands Iran reparations
- Report: Trump's options for walking away from Iran war have narrowed
- President: Iran to continue path of peace if US builds trust
Pakistan is neither discouraged by rising tensions nor overly optimistic when the situation improves, Andrabi said, stressing that Islamabad would continue its efforts to promote peace despite ongoing challenges.
He said Pakistan would continue to counter attempts by "spoilers" through direct and indirect channels to ensure the continuation of constructive dialogue aimed at resolving outstanding issues.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is currently visiting Iran, where he has held discussions with the Iranian leadership on peace efforts and bilateral relations, he added.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia discuss de-escalation
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, on Wednesday discussed efforts to reduce escalation and contain tensions in the region, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
In a phone call, the two ministers addressed ways to further activate efforts by the quadrilateral group comprising Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan to support de-escalation and enhance security and stability in the region.
They also discussed intensive efforts by regional partners, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, to reduce escalation, contain regional tensions and return to the diplomatic track within the framework of the memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran.
The two ministers stressed the importance of addressing existing regional security concerns, preserving the sovereignty of states, preventing attacks against them and avoiding an expansion of the conflict.
IMO chief condemns Red Sea attack
The same day, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization Arsenio Dominguez condemned the attack on Tanzania-flagged and Egyptian-owned TIHAMAH near the Bab al-Mandab Strait off the coast of Mocha, Yemen on Tuesday.
The Yemeni government reported the deaths of four crew members and two Yemeni rescuers, and 10 more were injured, according to Reuters.
"It is with sadness and regret to know that, once again, innocent seafarers have lost their lives in an indefensible attack on international shipping," said Dominguez in a statement.
He called on shipowners and ship operators to thoroughly assess risks before transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and other regions. "Seafarers deserve to be protected and allowed to do their jobs in safety and security.”
Dominguez also urged the immediate and unconditional release of all seafarers who continue to be held captive following piracy attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is one of the world's key maritime chokepoints and a vital route for international trade and energy shipments.
