US seeks 'face-saving' way out of war: Iran defence ministry

Iran's defence ministry on Saturday said the United States was seeking a "face-saving" way to exit the war, as US envoys travelled to Pakistan for peace negotiations.

"Our military power today is a dominant force, and the enemy is looking for a face-saving way to escape the war quagmire it has become trapped in," media outlet ISNA quoted a ministry spokesperson as saying. It comes as emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner make their way to Islamabad, though Iranian state media has said direct negotiations are not on the cards.

Meanwhile, Iran's military said on Saturday it would respond if the United States maintained its blockade of Iranian ports, calling it "banditry" and "piracy".

In a statement carried by state-run media outlet IRIB, the military's central command Khatam Al-Anbiya said that if "the invading US military continues blockading, banditry, and piracy in the region, they should be certain that they will face a response from Iran's powerful armed forces". "We are ready and determined, while monitoring the behaviour and movements of enemies," it added.

 Germany to despatch minesweeper for possible Hormuz mission

Germany will soon send a minesweeper to the Mediterranean for a possible mission in the Strait of Hormuz after the end of the US-Iran war, a defence ministry spokeswoman told AFP Saturday.

Several countries have said they are ready to take part in a "neutral" mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which the United States said last week it was in the process of de-mining together with Tehran, although this has not been confirmed by Iran.

The German navy's "Fulda" will be deployed "in the coming days", the spokeswoman said. The aim is to make a "significant and visible contribution to an international coalition seeking to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," she said.

Minesweepers are specialised vessels used to detect and set off naval mines. The ship will be stationed with a crew of about 45. But any deployment in the strait will only happen after "a lasting end in hostilities" and approval from the German parliament's lower house. The war in Iran began on February 28 with air strikes by the United States and Israel.

In response, the Iranian army effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one‑fifth of global oil shipments usually pass, leading to a rise in energy prices. There were prospects of new negotiations between the United States and Iran on a possible end to the war taking place this weekend in Pakistan. Both sides have sent envoys to Islamabad.