The U.S. has sought clarification from the Maldives days after President Mohammad Muizzu lashed out at Washington over the war with Iran.

The matter came up on Wednesday when U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Sergio Gor and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Bethany Morrison spoke to Maldivian Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam and discussed the U.S.-Maldives relationship. 

Mr. Muizzu has slammed the U.S. and Israel for attacks on Iran and repeatedly asserted that he would not allow use of any area of the Maldives, a small Muslim-majority archipelago, in any capacity to aid the war.

“On the call, the Foreign Minister helped clarify recent statements by the Maldivian President. The Minister reiterated that the President of Maldives wanted a positive relationship. We look forward to future engagements,” the U.S. Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said in a post on X on Wednesday.

The Maldivian president had refused to meet Mr. Gor, Mr. Trump’s special envoy for South and Central Asia, when he visited Male in March. 

-AP

The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval.

The statement furthers an argument laid out by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during testimony in the Senate earlier on Thursday, when he said the ceasefire effectively paused the war. Under that rationale, the administration has not yet met the requirement mandated by a 1973 law to seek formal approval from Congress for military action that extends beyond 60 days. 

A senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the administration’s position, said for purposes of that law, “the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb 28 have terminated.” 

The official said the U.S. military and Iran have not exchanged fire since the two-week ceasefire that began April 7. 

AP