Lead:

Diplomatic and military pressure surrounding Iran intensified on Thursday as indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Doha produced tentative progress, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued new threats over the Strait of Hormuz and the United States warned it would not tolerate any change to the waterway's status quo. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan held high-level consultations on the evolving situation, underscoring the regional stakes of the standoff.

Details:

According to Al-Yaum, the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari confirmed that indirect U.S.-Iran talks held in Doha have achieved positive progress, with a subsequent round of negotiations already scheduled. The announcement marks a cautious but notable diplomatic signal amid an otherwise volatile environment. No details regarding the specific terms under discussion were disclosed publicly.

Al-Jazirah reported that American sources confirmed Washington formally notified Tehran of its rejection of any alteration to the existing arrangements governing the Strait of Hormuz. The same report indicated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has signaled a willingness to escalate in the strait, while U.S. officials responded by reaffirming the option of force if maritime security is threatened. The signals from both sides illustrate the fragile coexistence of diplomatic engagement and military brinkmanship.

Al-Yaum further reported that U.S. Representative Mike Waltz, speaking before the United Nations Security Council, stated unequivocally that Iran's blockade of maritime passages and attacks on vessels cannot be characterized as self-defense, declaring that Washington will not remain silent in the face of Iranian actions targeting Gulf states and international shipping. His remarks drew a firm distinction between diplomacy and tolerance of hostile maritime conduct.

On the bilateral front, Al-Newsd reported that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan conducted a telephone call with his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar, during which both sides reviewed the latest developments in the U.S.-Iran negotiation track. The consultations reflect growing regional engagement from states with direct security interests in the outcome of any potential nuclear or maritime agreement.

Watch For:

The scheduled next round of indirect U.S.-Iran talks in Doha will be the critical near-term test of whether diplomatic momentum can be sustained or whether the Revolutionary Guard's Hormuz threats derail the process before formal positions are consolidated.

Any unilateral Iranian move in or around the Strait of Hormuz would trigger an immediate U.S. military response, according to statements reported by Al-Jazirah, making the waterway the most likely flashpoint if negotiations stall.

Saudi Arabia's active diplomatic engagement with Pakistan signals that regional powers are preparing contingency positions, and their collective posture may influence the terms any eventual framework agreement would need to accommodate.