Potential Resumption of US-Iran Negotiations Amid Ongoing Conflict
US and Iran Consider New Talks
US VP Vance (right) speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran, on Sunday. (Photo:PTI)
Washington, Apr 14: The United States and Iran may be on the verge of initiating a second round of discussions, as both nations contemplate fresh in-person negotiations aimed at resolving their ongoing six-week conflict before the ceasefire concludes next week, according to two US officials and a knowledgeable source.
On Tuesday, sources indicated that talks regarding a new round of negotiations are currently underway, with a diplomat from one of the mediating nations suggesting that both Tehran and Washington have tentatively agreed to resume discussions.
All four individuals spoke anonymously due to the delicate nature of the diplomatic efforts.
It remains uncertain whether the same delegation levels will be present in the upcoming talks, as noted by the officials and the diplomat.
Islamabad is once again being considered as a possible location for the negotiations, with Geneva also emerging as an alternative. Although the timing and venue are yet to be confirmed, discussions could commence as soon as Thursday.
The White House has not provided an immediate response to requests for comments. However, President Donald Trump mentioned earlier on Monday that 'we’ve been called by the other side' and that 'they want to work a deal.'
In the meantime, US Vice President J D Vance stated that Iran has moved closer to the US stance during the recent discussions in Islamabad, emphasizing that it is now Tehran's turn to take further action.
Vance remarked, 'I wouldn’t just say that things went wrong. I also think things went right. We made a lot of progress,' during an interview with Fox News.
Despite the lengthy 21-hour negotiations in Islamabad over the weekend, the two parties were unable to reach an agreement, with Washington asserting that Tehran was not prepared to give up its right to enrich nuclear fuel.
Vance noted that the talks ultimately faltered because Iranian negotiators did not possess the authority to finalize a deal, implying that crucial decisions were dependent on Tehran's leadership.
He stated, 'What we figured out is that the team there was unable to cut a deal. They had to go back to Tehran, either to the supreme leader or someone else, to get approval for the terms we had set.'
Earlier, Trump announced that the US military had initiated a blockade of Iranian ports and coastal regions, leading Tehran to issue threats against ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.