Islamabad — U.S. and Iranian officials signaled a new round of ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad as a fragile two‑week truce neared expiry, though neither side publicly confirmed timing and Iranian state television denied any delegation was yet in Pakistan’s capital. Pakistani mediators said they had been told top negotiators — U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — were expected to arrive early Wednesday to lead their teams, according to officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The ceasefire that began April 8 was set to end Wednesday.
Rhetoric remained sharp even as talks were being arranged. President Donald Trump warned of a surge in strikes if no agreement were reached before the deadline, while Iran’s chief negotiator said Tehran still had “new cards on the battlefield” it had not shown. The White House has said Vance would head the U.S. delegation; Iran has not publicly named its team. An alert on Iranian state television — influenced by hard‑liners — said “no delegation from Iran has visited Islamabad so far,” reflecting debate in Tehran over how to react to the U.S. Navy’s recent seizure of an Iranian container ship.
Pakistan optimistic, tightens security
Pakistani officials expressed confidence Iran would send a delegation late Tuesday so talks could resume. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar conducted diplomatic calls and met with China’s ambassador as Islamabad prepared to host negotiators. Beijing described the conflict as being at “a critical stage of transition between war and peace,” urging all parties to show “utmost sincerity” and to keep momentum toward a political solution. Security in Islamabad has been stepped up, with thousands of personnel deployed and increased patrols along routes to the airport.
Strait of Hormuz central to negotiations
One key bargaining point is control of the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. has imposed a blockade on some Iranian ports to pressure Tehran over freedom of navigation through the vital waterway, which in peacetime carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments. Disruptions linked to the conflict have pushed oil prices higher; Brent crude traded near $95 a barrel Tuesday, more than 30% above its Feb. 28 level when U.S. and Israeli strikes escalated the fighting. The U.S. insists vessels be allowed to transit unimpeded.
U.S. boards sanctioned tanker
The Pentagon said U.S. forces conducted a “right‑of‑visit maritime interdiction” of the M/T Tifani, a vessel previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude, boarding it “without incident.” Ship‑tracking data placed the tanker in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Pentagon statements framed the operation as a message that international waters are not a refuge for sanctioned ships.
Mixed signals on diplomacy and force
Trump has offered mixed messages — saying he is not in a rush to end the conflict while warning of imminent strikes if talks fail. He indicated he expected to dispatch a negotiating team led by Vance even as Iranian officials said they would not engage until certain U.S. demands were eased.
Prospects for an extension
Former Central Command chief David H. Petraeus said a ceasefire extension seemed likely, with both sides still willing to negotiate. U.S. media outlets, including Axios, reported that Vance would travel to Pakistan for the talks, citing U.S. sources.
