DUBAI — Iran and the U.S.traded attacks over the weekend, throwing into question technical talks that were set to take place this week to advance the interim deal agreed earlier this month.During a tour of Gulf Arab states last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters the U.S.
and Iran were planning to meet Monday or Tuesday for technical talks.He said the meeting was likely to take place in Switzerland.But that was before Iran attacked a cargo ship on Thursday near Oman, just outside the Strait of Hormuz, setting off attacks by the U.S.
in response and counterstrikes by Iran at U.S.military and naval bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, respectively.The attacks also derailed U.N.-backed efforts to evacuate thousands of seafarers through a route near Oman following months of war and closure of the vital waterway.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which was not involved in clearing the route near Oman, warned Thursday that ships that do not coordinate passage with its naval forces "will be dealt with" as violators.When asked about the current status of Iran-U.S.talks, a senior White House official not authorized to brief the press told NPR on Sunday "nothing has been cancelled" and that technical talks to implement the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S.
and Iran "are on track for the coming days as planned."Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi, however, was quoted by Iranian media on Monday saying that while consultations continue with mediator Qatar, technical talks with the U.S.are not yet planned for this week and will be held only "when the conditions are met." He did not elaborate.The U.S.
official did not respond to further questions, but added that "deconfliction channels are up and running after the Lake Lucerne Summit," referring to talks led by Vice President Vance in Switzerland two weeks ago.At the conclusion of those talks, mediators Pakistan and Qatar said the two countries had agreed to establish a communication line "to avoid...