The United States began enforcing a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic Monday, sharply escalating tensions in the Gulf just hours after high-level talks in Pakistan between Washington and Tehran collapsed without a deal.

The move, announced by President Donald Trump, came after negotiations in Islamabad ended without a breakthrough, despite what participants described as rare direct engagement between the two sides.

But Lt. Gen. (ret.) Mohammed Saeed, former chief of general staff of the Pakistan Army, said in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital that the talks came far closer to success than their outcome suggests — and argued that diplomacy is still within reach.

«Both sides are saying they were very close … even inches away from a solution,» he said based on his own knowledge and reports. Saeed retired in 2023 but remained part of the core team handling operational planning, internal security coordination, and sensitive periods of political tension. 

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«They talked to each other in a very friendly manner. There was, from both sides, an expression of accommodation and understanding from each other. So, what you can briefly say is that the engagement has sufficient potential to resume.»

Speaking at the White House Monday, Trump defended the blockade, saying, «Right now, there’s no fighting. Right now, we have a blockade … Iran is doing absolutely no business, and we’re going to keep it that way very easily.»

He added that Iran’s military capabilities had been significantly degraded, saying its «Navy has gone, their air force is gone, their anti-aircraft is gone, their radar is gone and their leaders are gone.»

Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation, pressed Iran to accept a strict «zero enrichment» policy and remove its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. 

«The simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,» Vance said at a press conference in Islamabad.

Iranian leaders rejected those demands, insisting that any agreement must include the immediate release of billions of dollars in frozen assets.

Now, with the blockade in place, Saeed suggested the move may be designed less as a military endgame and more as leverage.

«This blockade could be … a maneuver to build further pressure on Iran to negotiate,» he said.

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Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 12, 2026. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

The escalation has raised concerns globally, particularly for countries dependent on Gulf energy flows, including Pakistan.

«Everyone in the world must be worried about what kind of economic negative spin-offs such a blockade would have,» Saeed said.

Saeed, who until recently sat at the center of Pakistan’s military leadership, framed the Islamabad talks as a critical reopening of dialogue after decades of hostility.

«It is the first time in 47 years … that there was engagement at the highest level,» he said, calling it «a great moment for diplomacy» and a demonstration of Pakistan’s ability to maintain credibility with both Washington and Tehran.

He pointed in particular to Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, a figure who has drawn unusual attention in Washington. 

Trump has publicly praised Munir, at one point calling him his «favorite field marshal,» elevating his profile as a key intermediary in regional diplomacy.

Munir, who rose through Pakistan’s intelligence ranks before becoming army chief, previously served as director general of military intelligence and later led the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). His career has been defined by deep involvement in regional security and intelligence coordination, including longstanding engagement with Iran.

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Security personnel inspect vehicles entering the Foreign Ministry office in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. (Aamir QURESHI / AFP via Getty Images)

Those ties could prove critical in the current crisis, according to Saeed. 

«What people do not know is that when he was director general of military intelligence … he was interacting with Iranians at multiple levels continuously,» Saeed said, describing years of direct engagement with Iran’s military, intelligence and political leadership, including former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. strike during Trump’s first term.

«He has had interaction with them for a long time … visiting Iran frequently and interacting on multiple issues,» Saeed said, adding that many current Iranian officials would already be familiar with Munir from earlier roles.

That continuity, he argued, gives Pakistan a rare advantage at a moment when formal diplomatic channels are strained.

«What one can say is that he continues to be one figure internationally who has a personal interaction … in the intelligence community in Iran in the military hierarchy and also on the side of the political leadership,» Saeed said.

«So that’s a huge advantage he has on the other side.»

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Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir upon their arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on April 11, 2026. (Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)

For Pakistan, that personal access — combined with its simultaneous relationship with Washington — has become central to its effort to position itself as a credible intermediary, even as the region edges closer to confrontation.

At the same time, Pakistan’s role as a mediator has drawn scrutiny, particularly given its longstanding position on Israel and recent inflammatory remarks by senior officials.

When asked whether Pakistan can be seen as a neutral broker while not recognizing Israel — an actor directly involved in strikes on Iran — Saeed downplayed the issue, saying Israel was not part of the diplomatic track.

«Pakistan’s position with regard to relations with Israel has been consistent since our independence,» he said, adding that Islamabad’s mediation efforts were focused solely on Washington and Tehran.

«Neither of their representatives was on the table … Pakistan was mediating between the U.S. and Iran,» he said.

Despite the current escalation, Saeed maintained that diplomatic channels remain open.

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Iranians react after a ceasefire announcement at the Enqelab square, in Tehran, on April 8, 2026. The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire Tuesday barely an hour before U.S. President Donald Trump’s deadline to obliterate the rival country was set to expire, with Tehran to temporarily reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz. (AFP via Getty Images)

«There is a lot of space … for resuming the process,» he said, suggesting talks could restart in Islamabad or elsewhere if both sides shift course.

«On Pakistan’s side, from my personal knowledge of the field marshal, they are relentless. They would not give up. They must not have given up. They must be continuously in touch with both sides. And they would try their best to convince both sides that the blockade is not going to be in their interest, in the interest of the region and in the interest of the international community.»

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., announced he would resign his congressional seat on Monday on the heels of multiple bombshell reports last Friday that forced him to drop out of a bid to become the next governor of California.

«I am deeply sorry to my family, staff, and constituents for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,» Swalwell said ina statement. «I will fight the serious, false allegation made against me. However, I must take responsibility and ownership for the mistakes I did make.»

«I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong,» he continued. «But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.»

While Democrats fell short of calling on Swalwell to resign his seat, the Chronicle’s scathing reporting left a wave of Swalwell’s colleagues rescinding their support for his campaign — including former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Pelosi urged that consideration of the accusations against Swalwell take place outside of the context of his campaign.

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«The young woman who has made serious allegations against Congressman Swalwell must be respected and heard. This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability. As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that this is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign,» Pelosi said in statements given to NBC.

A number of other Democrats soon joined the former speaker’s calls, with a handful rescinding previous endorsements of the campaign.

«I’ve read the San Francisco Chronicle’s reporting, and I take it seriously,» Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said in a post to X.

«What is described is indefensible. Women who come forward with accounts like this deserve to be heard with respect, not questioned or dismissed,» he added.

Swalwell first became a member of the House of Representatives in 2013. Before his time in Congress, Swalwell served as a prosecutor in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office before becoming a city councilmember in Dublin, California, in 2010.

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Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) wears a protective mask while speaking during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on April 15, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images)

As a member of the House, Swalwell helped spearhead impeachment efforts against President Donald Trump in 2019 and, before that, led inquiries on whether Russian interference had meaningfully impacted the 2016 presidential election.

It’s unclear if Swalwell’s resignation marks an end to his political career.

In its Friday report, the San Francisco Chronicle detailed graphic accounts from a woman accusing Swalwell of pursuing intoxicated women, pressuring employees into intimate situations and asking for explicit images from female contacts.

Rumblings of misconduct from Swalwell first emerged earlier this month when Cheyenne Hunt, a former Capitol Hill staffer and a political media personality, began circulating testimony from women who said they had been sexually assaulted by the congressman.

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Democratic United States Representative Eric Swalwell delivers a speech as he attends the SEIU-United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW)’s Gubernatorial Candidate Worker Forum at Meruelo Studios in Los Angeles, California, on January 10, 2026. (Etienne Laurent/AFP)

«The Democratic candidate currently leading in the California governor’s race has a known history of being predatory towards women,» Hunt claimed in a post to social media.

Despite initially remaining moot on the allegations, Swalwell’s office broke its silence on the matter in comments made to the New York Post earlier this week.

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«This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,» Micah Beasley, a spokesperson for Swalwell, said.

Swalwell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

En medio del desierto californiano de Estados Unidos, entre los cultivos de dátiles del Valle de Coachella y la frontera con México, nació una de las historias más insólitas de los últimos años: la República de Slowjamastan. Un territorio de apenas cuatro hectáreas y media, perdido entre arbustos y el calor abrasador, que se transformó en la micronación más nueva del planeta.

En Slowjamastan, las crocs están prohibidas por Constitución, el exceso de velocidad solo se permite si llevás tacos a casa y el animal nacional es el mapache. El país tiene sus propias leyes, moneda, pasaportes y hasta un himno que se canta al ritmo de Elton John.

El “sultán” que inventó un país en plena pandemia

Detrás de esta locura está Randy Williams, conocido como el “sultán de Slowjamastan”. Cuando no gobierna sobre mapaches y coyotes, Williams es director de programación de radios en San Diego y conductor del programa “Sunday Night Slow Jams”, que se emite en más de 250 estaciones del mundo.

En 2020, la pandemia lo dejó encerrado y sin poder cumplir su sueño de visitar todos los países reconocidos por la ONU. Fue entonces cuando pensó: “Si no puedo viajar a otro país, ¿por qué no crear uno?”. Así nació la idea de Slowjamastan.

Williams buscó un terreno accesible desde San Diego y encontró una parcela desértica por 19.500 dólares. “Fue amor a primera vista”, contó. Compró el lote, instaló un escritorio presidencial en medio de la nada y empezó a poner carteles en la ruta: “República de Slowjamastan”.

Las autoridades no tardaron en aparecer y le pusieron una multa por la señalización, pero Williams solo movió los carteles unos metros y siguió adelante. Pronto llegaron el puesto fronterizo, las banderas, los pasaportes y hasta una patrulla policial propia.

Un país con leyes absurdas y miles de “ciudadanos”

Williams se autoproclamó sultán, se vistió con uniformes extravagantes y hasta inventó un acento especial para sus discursos. El territorio se dividió en “estados” como Dublândia y Bucksylvania, y se creó un himno nacional: “Slowjamastan (I Think It’s Going to Be an Awesome Place)”.

Hoy, Slowjamastan emite pasaportes, imprime su propia moneda y ofrece títulos honorarios a quienes quieran sumarse al Parlamento. La ciudadanía es gratuita y ya hay 25.000 “slowjamastanos” de 120 países, más que en el Vaticano o Tuvalu.

Las ceremonias y eventos, como el lanzamiento del submarino nacional (un viejo casco llamado SS Badassin), son abiertas para todos. Y aunque los cargos diplomáticos tienen un precio, cualquiera puede ser parte de esta comunidad que crece día a día.

Leé también: Trump anticipó que podría avanzar sobre Cuba después de la guerra en Medio Oriente: “Es una nación en colapso”

Un escape del mundo real y la política

Para muchos, Slowjamastan es un refugio del caos y la polarización. “Cada vez que abrís Facebook, la gente se pelea por política. Acá está prohibido hablar de eso”, explicó el sultán. El 50% de los ciudadanos son estadounidenses, pero el fenómeno ya cruzó fronteras: hay un boom de solicitudes desde Bangladesh y otros países.

La comunidad se conecta a través de redes sociales, donde comparten fotos con sus pasaportes y se ríen de las leyes absurdas del país. “Todo esto me pone feliz. En un momento difícil, Slowjamastan es algo para celebrar”, contó una ciudadana a la BBC.

De la broma a la cumbre mundial de micronaciones

Slowjamastan no está sola en el mundo de las micronaciones. El año que viene será sede de la MicroCon2027, una cumbre que reunirá a delegados de más de 43 “países” autoproclamados para debatir desde escudos nacionales hasta soberanía geopolítica.

Aunque el territorio no tiene hoteles ni aeropuerto (por ahora), el evento se hará en un rascacielos de San Diego. Para Williams, la micronación es una forma de conectar con gente de todo el mundo y compartir historias, más allá de las fronteras reales.

En 2023, Williams finalmente pudo visitar el último país que le faltaba, Turkmenistán. Pero para entonces, Slowjamastan ya era mucho más que un chiste: se había convertido en una comunidad global.

“Slowjamastan no me pertenece”, dijo el sultán. “Bueno, sí soy un dictador. Pero realmente pertenece a todos. Significa algo diferente para cada uno”, cerró.