"May Be Held Thursday".. Second Round of Negotiations Between America and Iran

SadaNews - Pakistan has proposed to host a second round of talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad next Thursday, before the ceasefire ends, according to two U.S. officials.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media, indicated on Tuesday that this proposal would depend on whether the two sides request to hold the meeting in a different location.

One of the officials stated that despite the first round ending without an agreement, those talks are part of an ongoing diplomatic process and not a one-time attempt.

A diplomat from the intermediary countries mentioned that Tehran and Washington have agreed to hold the second round.

Meanwhile, sources indicated that it is unclear whether a delegation of the same level is expected to participate.

Regarding the potential location for the round, the diplomat and the two U.S. officials noted that discussions are ongoing about having the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, as the site for hosting the talks again.

The officials clarified that Geneva has also been proposed as an option.

This comes after a U.S. official confirmed yesterday that there is ongoing communication with Iran and progress in efforts to reach an agreement. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also reported continued efforts to end the conflict.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that Iran contacted the United States yesterday expressing a desire to reach an agreement, but emphasized that he would not agree to any deal that allows Tehran to possess nuclear weapons.

Additionally, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance stated last night that his country has made significant progress in talks with the Iranian side last Saturday, considering that "the ball is now in the Iranians' court," as he put it.

Last Saturday, a round of direct trilateral talks (America, Iran, and Pakistan) was held in Islamabad after a conflict that lasted for 40 days, which was supposed to extend to Sunday. However, after more than 21 hours of negotiations, Vance announced that no agreement was reached, and Tehran did not meet U.S. demands.

While the Iranian foreign ministry considered the talks to be positive and approached agreement on many points, it stated that some issues remain unresolved due to "America's tough demands," as expressed by them.

Finally, U.S. President announced yesterday a maritime blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, in an attempt to increase pressure on Iran.