US-Iran talks continue after ceasefire crumbles amid back-and-forth strikes

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran had asked to continue talks and the U.S. had agreed, but that the ceasefire was over. His comments came after three Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers came under fire this week, prompting the U.S. to hit Iranian sites and Iran to respond with strikes on U.S. military installations in neighboring Gulf states on Thursday. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!” he wrote in a Truth Social post. Qatari negotiators were meeting officials in Iran on Friday to seek to de-escalate tensions after Iran and the U.S. exchanged fire and to discuss navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a source with knowledge of the situation told Reuters. Daily tanker traffic through the critical waterway appeared to have slowed on Friday, after the series of attacks stoked concerns about the recovery of global oil supplies and shipping, and highlighted the fragility of the interim truce. Talks in Iran aim to address the implementation of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding and the issues that triggered the recent escalation between Washington and Tehran, including disputes over navigation in the strait, the source said. Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency said a Qatari delegation visited Iran in what analyst said appears to be an effort by Doha to consolidate its role as a mediator. It follows Qatari accusations against Iran over an alleged incident in the strait. Oil prices eased on Friday but remained on track for weekly gains of 5% after the flare-up. Meanwhile, unclaimed airstrikes that hit Iran after the U.S. said it finished its attacks have again raised questions of who else may be targeting the Islamic Republic. This all comes after Israel shared intelligence with the United States that Iran had recently devised a new plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN, adding another layer of tension as a ceasefire deal between the countries comes under strain. READ MORE: https://13wham.com/news/nation-world/... ______________ Stay up to date with our social media: 13 WHAM on Facebook:   / 13wham   13 WHAM on Twitter:   / 13wham   13WHAM on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/13whamtv/?h... 13WHAM on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@13wham?lang=en 13 WHAM Daily Local News Digest:    • 13WHAM Local News Digest   For more information, visit https://13wham.com/ Have a news tip? Send it directly to us: Email us: [email protected] Call the Newsroom: (585) 334-8700 WHAM is a NY based station and a ABC Television affiliate owned and operated by Deerfield Media, Inc and receives certain services from an affiliation of Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today. #13WHAM #News #Rochester #NewYork