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Welcome to the NewsHour. An American delegation is headed back to Pakistan tonight to continue
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talks geared toward ending the war with Iran.
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One of the focal points of any discussion will be the Strait of Hormuz, where vital maritime
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traffic remains largely frozen. But while Iran's foreign minister is now already in the
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Pakistani capital, late today, his spokesman said there is no meeting planned with the
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Americans. Stephanie Sy again begins our coverage tonight.
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Tonight, fresh hope for a path forward in the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.
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We've certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side in the last couple of days.
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The White House confirmed today that special envoy Steve Whitkoff and President Trump's
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son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will travel to Pakistan tomorrow for direct talks with Iran.
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Notably absent from the team, Vice President JD Vance. He was set to go to Pakistan earlier
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this week, but was suddenly pulled back to the White House, which now says he's on standby
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to travel should there be substantial progress in negotiations. As the extended cease-fire holds
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for a third week, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt says Iran pushed for renewed talks.
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The Iranians want to talk. They want to talk in person. And so the President, as I've said,
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many, many times to all of you, always willing to give diplomacy a chance.
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But Iran has not yet confirmed it is sending diplomats to Islamabad for direct talks with the U.S.
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Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi posted to social media that he would visit Pakistan
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to review current regional developments. All this, as the American blockade of the
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Strait of Hormuz continues, oiling global energy markets. Even with three aircraft carriers and
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more than 15,000 sailors and Marines operating in the Middle East, safety and security concerns
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persist for ships stalled in the Strait. Both sides are claiming control. The two container ships
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Iran's revolutionary guard boasted of seizing earlier this week are now anchored at port.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth admitted today, ships are not getting through fast enough.
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We are seeing vessels transiting. There are paths that are open. So,
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transit is occurring much more limited than anybody would like to see and with more risk than
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people would like to see. But that's because Iran is doing irresponsible things.
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As pressure ramps up to get goods shipped and prices down, the President is trying to use what
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tools he can. The White House quietly announced today a 90-day extension of the Jones Act waiver,
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which makes it easier for foreign vessels to transport oil and natural gas around U.S. ports.
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As high oil prices stoke worries about the greater U.S. economy,
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the Trump administration continues its squeeze on the Iranian economy,
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announcing new economic sanctions on Iran, as well as on Chinese companies that the U.S.
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accuses of transporting Iranian oil. For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Stephanie Sye.