Iran says it’s still reviewing the latest proposal to end the war

Iran is still reviewing “messages” from the United States via Pakistani mediation and has not yet finalized its response to a US proposal to end the war, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has said, according to Iranian semi-official media. Tehran is expected to hand over its reply to mediators about the US proposal on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Iran has created a government agency to vet and tax vessels seeking passage through the crucial Strait of Hormuz, a shipping data company reported Thursday. The Iranian effort to formalize control over the channel raised new concerns about international shipping, with hundreds of commercial ships bottled up in the Persian Gulf and unable to reach the open sea.

Iran has effectively closed the Strait, a vital waterway for the shipment of supplies of oil, gas, fertilizer, and other petroleum products, while the U.S. is blockading Iranian ports. The disruptions have sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled the global economy.

The Trump administration has sent mixed messages on its strategy to end the war. The tenuous ceasefire and declarations that military operations were over have given way to new threats of bombing if Tehran does not accept a deal that allows for the resumption of oil and natural gas shipments disrupted by the conflict.