Islamabad: Two regional officials said Tuesday that the United States and Iran have signalled they will hold a new round of ceasefire talks in Islamabad as a fragile two‑week truce was due to expire. Neither the US nor Iran has publicly confirmed timing, and Iranian state television denied any Iranian delegation was already in Pakistan’s capital.
Pakistan‑led mediators received confirmation that top negotiators—US Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf—would arrive in Islamabad early Wednesday to lead their teams, the officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters. The ceasefire that began April 8 was set to expire Wednesday.
Rhetoric remained sharp: President Donald Trump warned “lots of bombs” will “start going off” if there’s no agreement before the deadline, while Iran’s chief negotiator said Tehran has “new cards on the battlefield” not yet revealed. White House officials have said Vance would lead the US delegation; Iran has not publicly named its team. Iranian state TV, long influenced by hard‑liners, ran an alert saying “no delegation from Iran has visited Islamabad so far,” reflecting internal debate as Iran weighs how to respond to the US Navy’s recent seizure of an Iranian container ship.
Pakistan hopeful talks will proceed
Pakistani officials expressed confidence Iran would send a delegation late Tuesday so talks could resume. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Egyptian counterpart and met China’s ambassador as part of diplomatic preparations. Beijing called the conflict at a “critical stage of transition between war and peace” and urged all parties to show “utmost sincerity” and maintain momentum toward a political solution. Security has been tightened across Islamabad, with thousands of personnel deployed and increased patrols along routes to the airport. AP
Strait of Hormuz control a negotiation focus
The US has instituted a blockade of Iranian ports to pressure Tehran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which about 20% of the world’s natural gas and crude transits in peacetime. Iran’s disruption of the strait has pushed oil prices higher; Brent crude traded near USD 95 per barrel Tuesday, more than 30% above its Feb. 28 level, when US and Israeli strikes on Iran escalated the conflict. Trump has demanded that vessels be allowed to transit the waterway unimpeded. AP
US boards sanctioned tanker
US forces boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude, the Pentagon said, conducting a “right‑of‑visit maritime interdiction” of the M/T Tifani “without incident.” Ship‑tracking data showed the vessel in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The Pentagon described the operation as a signal that “international waters are not a refuge for sanctioned vessels.” AP
Trump sends mixed signals
Trump offered mixed messages about the war’s path, saying he was not in a rush to end the conflict while also warning of imminent strikes if talks fail. He said he expected to dispatch a negotiating team led by Vance to Islamabad even as Iran insisted it would not engage until US demands were eased. AP
Ceasefire extension likely, former commander says
Former Central Command chief David H. Petraeus said the ceasefire is likely to be extended beyond the initial two weeks as both sides remain willing to continue negotiations. PTI
Vance to travel, reports say
Axios reported Monday that Vice President Vance would travel to Pakistan for the talks, citing US sources. Reuters/AP
