US-Iran Negotiations: Tehran Toughens Stance As IRGC Chief Drives Pakistan Talks | Exclusive

Last Updated:April 25, 2026, 19:54 IST

General Ahmad Vahidi and his hardline military council have effectively sidelined civilian diplomats, introducing a series of aggressive new preconditions

CNN-News18 has uncovered the inner workings of the critical Iranian visit to Pakistan. As the region teeters on the edge of a broader conflict, Tehran has significantly toughened its stance, with Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, the newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, reportedly calling the shots.

Vahidi and his hardline military council have effectively sidelined civilian diplomats, introducing a series of aggressive new preconditions that threaten to derail the delicate peace process brokered by Pakistan.

Demanding Authority over the Strait of Hormuz

The most explosive of Tehran’s new demands involves a five-year mandate for security control over the Strait of Hormuz. Under this proposal, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would retain the authority to:

• Stop and board any vessel passing through the world’s most vital oil artery.
• Inspect cargo at will, effectively institutionalising the current maritime standoff.
• Levy transit fees, essentially charging for the “right of passage" through international waters.

This move aims to codify the IRGC’s grip on the waterway, ensuring that even if a ceasefire is reached, Tehran maintains a strategic chokehold on global energy supplies for the next half-decade.

The ‘Lebanon Link’: No Separate Peace

The Iranian delegation has made it clear that Lebanon is no longer a separate theatre of war. Vahidi has reportedly insisted that Lebanon must be an integral part of any wider regional agreement. Crucially, Tehran is demanding an end to any direct Israel-Lebanon negotiations, asserting that the Lebanese front cannot be settled in isolation from Iranian interests.

Safeguarding Hezbollah’s Arsenal

On the ground in Beirut, Iran’s position remains uncompromising: Hezbollah will not be disarmed. The exclusive report indicates that Tehran is pushing for the group’s future status to be handled solely through a “Lebanese national dialogue," a process that would allow the militia to maintain its military capabilities indefinitely. By removing disarmament from the international negotiating table, Iran ensures its primary proxy remains a potent threat on Israel’s northern border.

The Precondition: Lift the Blockade First

Capping off this hardline pivot, Tehran has introduced a fresh roadblock to the Islamabad talks. Ahmad Vahidi has reportedly demanded that the United States lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports before any further negotiations can proceed.

With the US Navy currently enforcing a “dual blockade" of the region, this demand puts the ball firmly in President Trump’s court. While Washington views the blockade as its primary leverage, Tehran is now using the global energy crisis—and its control over the Strait—to demand an immediate surrender of that economic pressure.

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