With the ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, officials from Pakistan and Iran have suggested that new peace talks might take place in Pakistan by the end of this week.
On Tuesday, a source involved in the discussions mentioned that Pakistan had sent proposals for talks in Islamabad to both Tehran and Washington. While there wasn’t a specific date included, officials from both sides indicated that discussions could happen soon.
An Iranian embassy representative in Islamabad stated that the talks “could take place later this week or early next week,” while another senior official noted that Iran’s negotiating team would be available “from Friday to Sunday.” Similarly, Pakistani officials mentioned the possibility of meetings over the weekend.
Interestingly, the Pakistani government has been cautious about publicly confirming the details of further discussions, and the White House has chosen not to comment at all.
According to Tuesday’s report from the Associated Press, Pakistani officials clarified that last weekend’s stalled negotiations were “not a one-off effort, but part of an ongoing process.”
Two U.S. officials relayed to the Associated Press that discussions are still progressing regarding another round of talks with Iran, which could potentially occur as soon as Thursday.
President Donald Trump remarked on Monday that his administration had been approached by the “appropriate people” in Iran, and noted that “they very unfortunately want to do a deal.”
He appeared open to negotiations should Iran agree to his strict conditions regarding its nuclear program. Trump emphasized, “Iran does not have nuclear weapons. We agreed to a lot of things, but they didn’t agree to it. If we don’t agree, there is no deal. There will never be a deal.”
On Monday, a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports took effect, marking a new phase in the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.
Vice President J.D. Vance characterized the blockade as a robust response to what he termed Iran’s “economic terrorism.” He suggested that Iran has threatened ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, stating, “two people can play in that game.” Vance led the U.S. negotiating team in Islamabad over the weekend, noting that the Iranian side seemed close to an agreement but became less cooperative after having to leave the room for further instructions from Tehran.
“What we understood is that they couldn’t do it. The team that was there couldn’t come to an agreement,” he said, indicating that they needed approval from higher authorities in Tehran for the conditions they discussed.
Vance also mentioned that talks faltered because Iran didn’t back down from its threats against civilian shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and insisted Tehran should commit to a “full reopening” of the strait for discussions to continue.
In a Tuesday interview with Russian media, Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani reiterated that Iran is still seeking “war reparations” from the U.S. and would include demands for compensation related to the economic damages caused by the U.S. blockade.
