By SAMY MAGDY, SAM METZ and MUNIR AHMED<\/p>\n
CAIRO (AP) \u2014 Mediators moved closer Wednesday to extending the ceasefire<\/a> between the United States and Iran and restarting negotiations to salvage the fragile truce before it expires next week. A senior Iranian military official threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade, underscoring tensions that are overshadowing the diplomacy.<\/p>\n The U.S. blockade on Iranian ports<\/a> and renewed Iranian threats have imperiled the week-old agreement, but regional officials said Wednesday they were making progress, telling The Associated Press that the United States and Iran had given an \u201cin principle agreement\u201d to extend it to allow for more diplomacy.<\/p>\n The commander of Iran\u2019s joint military command warned Wednesday that Iran would completely block exports and imports across the Persian Gulf region, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea if the U.S. military does not lift its blockade on Iranian ports.<\/p>\n \u201cIran will act with strength to defend its national sovereignty and its interests,\u201d said Ali Abdollahi, calling the blockade \u201ca prelude to violating the ceasefire.\u201d His comments were reported by Iranian state media.<\/p>\n Before the two-week ceasefire expires on April 22, mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points that derailed direct talks last weekend \u2014 Iran\u2019s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages \u2014 according to one of the regional officials who is involved in mediation efforts.<\/p>\n Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.<\/p>\n World leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump<\/a> and U.N. Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres said on Tuesday that revived talks in the upcoming days were likely.<\/p>\n The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.<\/p>\n Prospect for more talks as blockade threatens escalation<\/p>\n The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy<\/a> as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region<\/a>. Oil prices fell<\/a> on hopes for an end to fighting on Wednesday, and U.S. stocks surged close to records set in January.<\/p>\n Yet whether the fragile ceasefire would hold appeared increasingly uncertain as the U.S. pressed ahead with its blockade, which threatens to sever Iran from economic lifelines it has relied on since the war began nearly seven weeks ago.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they want to make a deal very badly,\u201d Trump said in an excerpt from an interview with Fox Business Network\u2019s \u201cMornings with Maria\u201d scheduled to air Wednesday morning. He added: \u201cI view it as very close to over.\u201d <\/p>\n A U.S. official said Tuesday that fresh talks with Iran were still under discussion and that nothing has been scheduled. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss sensitive negotiations.<\/p>\n Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan\u2019s finance minister, told The Associated Press that \u201cour leadership is not giving up\u201d on efforts to help the U.S. and Iran end the conflict.<\/p>\n Tankers turned around after blockade took effect<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command said Tuesday no ships made it past the blockade in the first 24 hours, while six merchant vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and reenter Iranian waters.<\/p>\n The blockade is intended to pressure Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil<\/a>, mostly to Asia, since the war began Feb. 28. Much of it has likely been carried by so-called dark transits that evade sanctions and oversight, providing cash that\u2019s been vital to keeping Iran running.<\/p>\n Tankers approaching the strait Monday turned around shortly after the blockade took effect, though one reversed course again and transited the waterway.<\/p>\n Since the war began, Iran has curtailed maritime traffic, with most commercial vessels avoiding the waterway. Tehran\u2019s effective closure of the strait<\/a>, through which a fifth of global oil transits in peacetime, has sent oil prices skyrocketing, pushing up the cost of gasoline, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East.<\/p>\n Strikes continue in Lebanon after Washington talks<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Israel pressed ahead with its aerial and ground war in Lebanon. The country\u2019s National News Agency reported airstrikes and artillery shelling throughout southern Lebanon on Wednesday, include near Bint Jbeil, where Israeli forces have encircled fighters with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.<\/p>\n