‘Critical diplomatic moment’ as Iran ceasefire deadline looms, says Cooper

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said “a critical diplomatic moment” is coming as the end of a two-week US-Iran ceasefire looms.

The Labour Cabinet minister also again warned that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz was “hitting the global economy”, amid international efforts to safeguard the crucial shipping route.

She made her comments as uncertainty hung over further talks between Washington and Tehran in Pakistan before the fragile truce runs out on Wednesday.

Doubt was cast on renewed peace negotiations after the US seized an Iranian cargo ship it said was trying to run its blockade of the country’s ports, sparking threats of retaliation for the “armed piracy”.

Oil prices rose again in response to the stand-off over the strait, which is a vital trade route.

Speaking in a video posted on X, Ms Cooper said: “This is a critical diplomatic moment.

“As we’re coming to the end of the two week agreed ceasefire on Iran, negotiations are starting, but the Strait of Hormuz is still closed, so international shipping is still restricted. That is hitting the global economy.”

She said she had been meeting her foreign counterparts “about the importance of getting the Strait of Hormuz open again”.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump insisted he will not be rushed into making a deal with Iran.

While dismissing claims he was under pressure, the US president indicated an agreement would happen “relatively quickly”.

He wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Time is not my adversary, the only thing that matters is that we finally, after 47 years, straighten out the mess that other presidents let happen because they didn’t have the courage or foresight to do what had to be done with respect to Iran.”

Insisting that the US was “winning” the war, he pledged to keep the blockade in place until a deal was reached, arguing the economic measure was “absolutely destroying Iran”.

Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran does not enter talks in the face of threats.

He accused the US president of seeking to turn the negotiating table into a “table of surrender”, in a post on X.