Iran said on April 23 that it would withhold its delegation to the talks in Pakistan until the United States lifts its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports.

Iran said on April 23 that it would withhold its delegation to the talks in Pakistan until the United States lifts its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports.

The statement repeated a condition Tehran had set the day before, confirming that it was not a one-off remark but a stated position.

By repeating the condition, Iran was signalling to the mediators that the blockade was its central demand at that stage.

It is worth following how Pakistan, as host, responds. Mediators often look for intermediate steps, such as a partial easing, that let both sides claim progress without either side appearing to give in first.