Pakistan has offered to host a second round of US-Iran negotiations, Pakistani officials told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the proposal publicly. Diplomats are said to be weighing an in-person meeting as leaders race to lock in terms before the current ceasefire expires next week.
US Vice President JD Vance, who led the US delegation in recent talks, said negotiations “did make some progress,” noting Iranian negotiators had moved on some nuclear issues but still needed approval from Tehran’s leadership. President Donald Trump added that Washington had been contacted by “the other side” and that Iran “want[s] to work a deal,” while stressing he will not accept any arrangement that allows Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. US officials said one key demand remains removal of enriched nuclear material and establishment of a verification mechanism to prevent future enrichment.
AP and diplomatic sources say a second round could take place as soon as April 16, with Islamabad again under discussion as a possible venue; Geneva is another option. Timing and delegation levels have not been finalized.
The prospect of resumed talks comes amid escalating military and maritime moves. The US has started a blockade of vessels calling at Iranian ports, prompting Tehran’s outrage. Shipping data showed tankers continued to transit the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday; some Iran-linked ships passed through the waterway while not bound for Iranian ports and therefore were not covered by the blockade. LSEG, MarineTraffic and Kpler reported at least one US‑sanctioned tanker transited the strait despite sanctions.
Washington warned that ships entering or leaving the blockade zone without permission could be intercepted, diverted or captured. President Trump said he would destroy Iranian warships that approach the blockade, comments that add to the risk of direct naval confrontation. Several NATO allies, including Britain and France, said they would not join the US blockade and urged reopening the waterway.
On the Lebanese front, a senior Hezbollah official said the group will not be bound by any agreement that might arise from direct Israel-Lebanon talks scheduled to begin in Washington on Tuesday. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he supports those direct talks, even as Israeli forces continue operations aimed at seizing strategic positions in southern Lebanon. Israeli military officials reported casualties in ground combat with Iran‑backed Hezbollah.
International leaders and institutions urged restraint. UN Secretary‑General António Guterres said there is no military solution and pressed for the ceasefire to be preserved. Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, urged China to play a larger diplomatic role to help end the broader conflict, including in Iran and Ukraine. Chinese President Xi Jinping, meeting the UAE crown prince, called for full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of West Asian and Gulf states and advocated a comprehensive regional security architecture.
Markets reacted to the possibility of diplomacy. European stocks rose on hopes for talks, the pan‑European index up modestly, while Asian equities tracked gains amid expectations of renewed negotiations. Oil prices eased on hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough, though energy market volatility remains high: Qantas raised its fuel-cost forecast and delayed a planned share buyback after jet-fuel prices more than doubled. South Korea’s president warned the conflict around the Strait of Hormuz could keep oil prices elevated and ordered faster mobilization of aid and emergency measures.
Economic fallout has been felt beyond energy. China’s export growth slowed sharply in March, in part because higher energy and transport costs have dented global demand. Iran’s oil minister said recent sales have been favorable and that part of oil revenue will be used to repair industrial damage from wartime attacks, as the country works to keep exports flowing from key hubs.
The situation remains fluid. US and Iranian officials appear to have signaled willingness to continue engagement, but fundamental gaps persist and any deal would need assent from multiple parties in Tehran. On the ground, military actions, maritime incidents and political divisions among allies mean that even if talks proceed, outcomes and enforcement will be uncertain. Diplomatic activity, not least Pakistan’s proposal to host further talks, has put fresh attention on a fragile window to prevent a wider regional conflagration.
