An Iranian official began meetings in Pakistan on Tuesday as diplomatic efforts gathered pace to revive the collapsed interim deal between Iran and the United States, even as both countries kept up attacks for a 10th straight day of fighting.

Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni's visit comes as Pakistan steps up efforts to bring both sides back to the negotiating table. But there is still no clarity on what new arrangement could stop the fighting, which has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, pushed up oil prices and seen both sides hit civilian infrastructure used by millions of people.

Early on Tuesday, Iran attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel, while the United States carried out another round of airstrikes on Iran. The 10 consecutive nights of US strikes have not led Tehran to ease its control over the strait, through which about a fifth of all crude oil and natural gas traded once passed in peacetime.

The interim deal signed last month to end the fighting has now fallen apart. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. In a fresh advisory, the US State Department said, "Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other US interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world."

The escalation has driven oil prices higher in recent weeks. Benchmark Brent crude was trading at nearly USD 90 a barrel on Tuesday, while regular petrol in the US rose to an average of USD 4 a gallon. President Donald Trump wrote on social media on Monday: "Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!"

Momeni met Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were held behind closed doors. Momeni was also expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later on Tuesday.

Pakistan's political leadership and Munir, who serves as both the chief of army staff and defence forces, played a key role in brokering last month's interim agreement between the US and Iran. Islamabad has since been trying to persuade both sides to return to talks and resolve pending issues under the June memorandum of understanding.

No details of the meeting were immediately released. The talks came as Tehran continued attacks on Gulf Arab allies of the US. On Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that Washington was still open to negotiations with Iran, but that "it has to be real". It remains unclear whether Tehran will offer anything that Trump would consider "real".

The US military's Central Command said on Tuesday it had targeted "Iranian military command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air defense systems". It also released more footage of bombings targeting sites in Iran. The command said, "American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait."

Iranian state media said explosions were heard in the provinces of Fars, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, and Sistan and Baluchistan. Even so, movement through the strait has slowed sharply during the latest violence. Lloyd's List Intelligence said only three ships passed through the strait on Sunday.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said a tanker was attacked early on Tuesday in the strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the ship. Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for that attack, as well as two other attacks on ships on Monday in the waterway.

The route around Oman has been the course the US military has urged ships to use to avoid Iran's control. The UKMTO also separately reported on Tuesday that another previously unknown attack on a ship had taken place early the previous day.

Iran also struck US-allied countries elsewhere in the Middle East. Jordan's military said on Tuesday that Iran targeted the country with five drones and three missiles, all of which were shot down. Bahrain also sounded missile alert sirens on Tuesday afternoon as another Iranian barrage targeted the island kingdom, home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet.

With Pakistan trying to revive talks, the fighting between Iran and the US continues to widen, affecting shipping, energy prices and countries across the region, while the interim deal meant to halt the conflict remains in ruins.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends

Published By:

India Today Web Desk

Published On:

Jul 21, 2026 16:34 IST