US and Iran Move Toward New Talks in Islamabad Amid Threats and Ceasefire Strains

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that American negotiators will travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, for a second round of talks with Iran, according to multiple reports. The announcement came as a fragile two-week ceasefire between the two countries appeared increasingly strained, with both sides accusing each other of violations.

Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, said his representatives would be in Islamabad "tomorrow evening for negotiations," without specifying which officials would attend, though several reports indicated that Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner would lead the US delegation. The first round of historic direct talks between the US and Iran, held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, ended without an agreement but also without a breakdown, according to Dawn and Al Jazeera.

The US president repeated his threat to target Iranian infrastructure if Tehran does not accept the deal being offered. "I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single power plant, and every single bridge, in Iran," Trump wrote, as quoted by multiple outlets including Dawn and Yonhap. He described the US offer as "a very fair and reasonable" deal, which reportedly entails reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring Iran does not possess enriched uranium.

Iran has so far denied that it will participate in the talks. The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that Iran's absence stems from what it called Washington's excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, and the ongoing naval blockade, which it considers a breach of the ceasefire, according to the Jerusalem Post. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei, wrote on X that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports is "a violation of Pakistani-mediated ceasefire" and an "unlawful and criminal" act, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The announcement comes after a weekend of heightened tensions. According to multiple reports, Iran on Saturday reimposed tight restrictions on the transit of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, reversing an earlier agreement to reopen the strategic waterway. Trump accused Iran of committing a "serious violation" of the ceasefire by opening fire on vessels in the strait, with the US president claiming that many of the shots were aimed at a French ship and a freighter from the United Kingdom, as quoted by The Hindu and Yonhap. The Hindu also reported that two Indian ships were among more than a dozen fired upon by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday, leading India to summon the Iranian Ambassador to convey its protest.

The conflict, which reportedly began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has entered its eighth week and has killed thousands in Iran and Lebanon, according to The Guardian. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which around a fifth of the world's oil and gas flows, has sent oil prices surging.

The ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday, though there are discrepancies over the exact timing, with Iran saying it ends in the early hours of Wednesday in Iran, while Trump puts it at the end of Wednesday in Washington, as noted by The Guardian. Trump said any talks in Islamabad would be the "last chance" for Iran to agree to a peace deal, telling Fox News that if Iran does not sign, "the whole country is getting blown up," according to one report.

Iran's chief negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, has said "there will be no retreat in the field of diplomacy," while also accusing the US president of seeking to turn the negotiating table into a "table of surrender," as reported by multiple outlets. "We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats," he wrote in a social media post, adding that Iran was preparing "to reveal new cards on the battlefield."

Analysts suggest there is fierce disagreement among Iran's leaders over how to respond to US pressure, though Tehran appears unwilling to bend to Trump's threats, according to The Guardian.

Perspectives

The situation involves distinct viewpoints from the key parties:

  • US Government (President Donald Trump): Trump maintains that the US is offering a fair deal and has repeatedly warned of severe military consequences if Iran does not accept. He accuses Iran of violating the ceasefire by firing on ships and closing the Strait of Hormuz, and insists the naval blockade will remain until a peace deal is signed.
  • Iranian Government (Foreign Ministry and Chief Negotiator): Iran denies participation in the next round of talks, citing US demands and the naval blockade as violations of the ceasefire. Iranian officials accuse the US of "armed piracy" and "collective punishment" and reject negotiations under threats, while signaling readiness to continue on the battlefield.
  • Mediators and Affected Parties (Pakistan, India, and others): Pakistan has been actively brokering the talks, with its civil and military leadership engaged in diplomacy to bring both sides back to the table, as reported by Dawn. India, whose ships were reportedly fired upon, has lodged a protest with Iran, highlighting the broader regional impact of the conflict. The international community, including the International Energy Agency, has expressed concern over the economic consequences of the crisis, particularly on oil prices, according to The Guardian.