Just as a second round of peace negotiations was being planned in Islamabad, authorities in Tehran flatly rejected the idea of returning to the table, citing what they called Washington’s “excessive demands,” contradictory positions, and the ongoing naval blockade that they say violates the existing ceasefire agreement. State media and officials have framed the refusal as a response to U.S. pressure tactics and called the diplomatic atmosphere “bleak,” even as mediators and U.S. envoys prepared to travel to Pakistan in hopes of salvaging talks.