Iran condemns US port blockade

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations has called a US blockade around its ports that came into force on Monday a "grave violation" of its sovereignty that "poses a grave threat to international peace." 

In his letter to UN chief Antonion Guterres, seen by the AFP news agency, Amir Saeid Iravani said the blockade also constituted "a serious violation of the fundamental principles of the international law of the sea."

US President Donald Trump has said the blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Gulf aims to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil and gas flows.

He has warned that any Iranian warships approaching the blockade would be destroyed.

The US action comes despite a two-week ceasefire agreed by Washington and Tehran that is due to end on April 22. 

The blockade, which comes after failed peace talks in Pakistan over the weekend, poses a threat to that ceasefire, with Iran responding with threats against all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

'Ball is in the Iranian court' — US vice president

US Vice President JD Vance, who led Washington's delegation at failed weekend peace talks with Iran in Pakistan at the weekend, says the US has told Iran what it considers necessary for peace and that Iran now has to make the appropriate moves.

 "I really think the ball is in the Iranian court, because we put a lot on the table. We actually made very clear what our red lines were," Vance said in an interview with US conservative broadcaster Fox News late on Monday.

He said the US was adamant about having to take control of Iran's enriched uranium and putting in place a verification mechanism to ensure it does not develop a nuclear weapon in the future.

"It's one thing for the Iranians to say that they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. It's another thing for us to put in place the mechanism to ensure that's not going to happen," Vance said.

Iran has previously insisted on its right to enrich uranium, saying its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only.

US President Donald Trump started the war with Iran on February 28 with the stated aim of stopping Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, something the Iranian government has said it is not trying to do. 

Media outlets have reported that Washington asked Tehran to agree not to enrich uranium for 20 years, citing officials close to the negotiations held in Islamabad on Saturday.

Iran in turn proposed to suspend its nuclear activity for five years, according to The New York Times.

Trump has claimed Iranian representatives have called the US since the Pakistan talks and wanted a deal "very badly, very badly.

US to blame for talks failure — Iranian president

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Washington's excessive demands and a "lack of political will" on the part of US officials were to blame for the failure of recent peace talks in Islamabad. 

Iran's state-run English language broadcaster PressTV reported that Pezeshkian told French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call that "the excessiveness and lack of political will of senior US officials have prevented the agreement from being finalized."

He said that Iran preferred the diplomatic path over war, provided that its national dignity and sovereignty were safeguarded.