Summary

More talks urged for U.S., Iran as shipping standoff continues France, Britain plan to host conference later this week on Strait of Hormuz challenge The standoff between the United States and Iran deepened on Tuesday as the U.S. declared it had blockaded Iran's ports, Tehran threatened to strike targets across the region and Pakistan said it was racing to bring the sides together for more talks. Two U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic negotiations, said on Monday that discussions were still underway about a new round of talks after an initial session last weekend in Islamabad. They said that the venue, timing and composition of the delegations hadn't been decided, but that talks could happen as soon as Thursday. The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as a great deal of shipping has been largely cut off in the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the global oil supply and one-third of fertilizer transits in peacetime. Airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region, leading to a death toll well over 3,000 people, before a ceasefire announced by President Donald Trump last week slowed the casualty rate. A U.S. blockade of Iranian ports that began Monday and Iran's threatened retaliation set up an extraordinary showdown posing serious risks for the global economy and raising the spectre that the ceasefire could collapse and that fighting would resume. The blockade is intended to pressure Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil since the war began but has prevented commercial ships unfriendly to Tehran from transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Much of what has been allowed through are so-called dark transits that evade sanctions and oversight, providing cash flow that's been vital to keeping Iran running. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he had spoken with both Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian the previous day. Macron called for talks to restart between Washington and Iran and for a halt of any possible escalation. Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-chair a conference Friday in Paris, bringing together nations willing to participate in a mission in the Strait of Hormuz "when security conditions allow." Other participants will take part via videoconference, Macron's office said. China-flagged tanker passes strait The nature of enforcement and the extent to which ships will comply remained unclear during its first full day in effect on Tuesday. The tanker Rich Starry, which had been waiting off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, appeared to transit the strait early on Tuesday, according to data from the energy cargo-tracking firm Vortexa. It wasn't immediately clear whether the Rich Starry had earlier docked in Iran. Yet it is listed by the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control as being linked to Iranian shipping. Longtime shipping publication Lloyd's List reported that it's owned by a Chinese shipping company and ultimately bound for China. U.S. Central Command didn't immediately respond to questions about the vessel after it cleared the 34-kilometre waterway. A day earlier, it said that the blockade applied to vessels going to and from Iranian ports. Trump said on Monday that Iran's control of the strait amounted to blackmail and extortion as the U.S. blockade took effect. He said in a social media post that Iran's navy had been "completely obliterated," but still had "fast attack ships." He warned that "if any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED." Iran threatened to retaliate against Persian Gulf ports if attacked. "If you fight, we will fight," Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said in a statement addressed to Trump. While Trump threatened Tehran, his vice-president, JD Vance, said there was progress from Saturday's talks with Iran, without elaborating. Red Cross delivers aid shipment to Iran Meanwhile, direct talks between Israel and Lebanon were set to begin in Washington on Tuesday, the first such negotiations in decades. Israel has pressed ahead with its air and ground campaign since last week's ceasefire in Iran, insisting that it doesn't apply to fighting in Lebanon. It has, however, halted strikes in the country's capital since April 8. The talks are expected to be preliminary, focused on setting parameters rather than resolving core issues. Lebanese officials have pushed for a ceasefire, while Israel has framed the negotiations around the disarmament of Lebanon-based militants Hezbollah. Fighting since Feb. 28 has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,000 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Tuesday in a statement that it had delivered its first emergency aid shipment to Iran since the war began over a month ago. It's expected to meet the needs of nearly 25,000 people. Supplies included blankets, jerrycans, tarpaulins, hygiene kits and solar lamps. The remaining aid shipment, comprised of nine trucks, will be given to IRCS later this week. With files from CBC News and Reuters