President Donald Trump began a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a move intended to raise pressure on Tehran, even as the two countries are weighing another round of talks in hopes of cementing a longer-term ceasefire.

A naval blockade took effect on Monday after a Trump-imposed deadline passed, with the U.S. moving to cut off vessels in the waterway from transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas. The move risks further inflaming tensions during the global energy crisis.

But even amid that latest escalation, the U.S. and Iran are in discussions about holding another round of face-to-face negotiations after meetings in Islamabad over the weekend ended in failure, according to people familiar with the matter. The goal is to hold fresh talks before a two-week ceasefire announced April 7 expires next week, according to the people.

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