Iran has signalled it will not send negotiators to Pakistan for a second round of talks with the United States, casting serious doubt over efforts to extend a fragile ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that Washington had violated the ceasefire from the outset, citing a US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz imposed on the thirteenth of April, and the overnight seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship by the US Navy in the Gulf of Oman. Tehran has described the capture of the vessel as piracy.
US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that his representatives were travelling to Islamabad for negotiations, naming Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner as members of the delegation. However, Trump also revived threats to strike Iranian energy and power facilities if Tehran rejected what he called a fair and reasonable deal.
Pakistan, which brokered the first round of talks in Islamabad on the eleventh of April, said it remained cautiously hopeful of bringing both sides back to the table, though officials acknowledged that rising tensions had clouded the prospects.
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Officials on both sides say a final peace agreement is not expected this week. The immediate aim is a ceasefire extension, with negotiators working towards a limited memorandum of understanding that could provide up to 60 days for broader negotiations.
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