Islamabad, Pakistan. US-Iran peace talks could resume soon in Pakistan, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was expected to arrive on Friday night, according to three Pakistani sources. The sources said a US logistics and security team was already in place for potential negotiations.
Planning for potential negotiations
The Pakistani sources said preparations were under way for talks, but there was no immediate response from Washington or Tehran. Around the same time, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran had a chance to make a “good deal” with the United States.
Previous talks and ceasefire timeline
The last round of talks had been scheduled for Tuesday but did not take place, with Iran saying it was not ready to commit and a US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance never leaving Washington. President Donald Trump unilaterally extended a two-week ceasefire at the eleventh hour to allow more time for negotiations.
Related ceasefire developments
On Thursday, Israel and Lebanon extended a separate ceasefire for three weeks at a White House meeting brokered by Trump. Iran considers the maintenance of that truce a precondition for broader talks on the wider war.
Trump comments and the Strait of Hormuz
Trump said on Thursday he was in no rush to reach an agreement, wanting it to be “everlasting,” while asserting that the US held the upper hand in the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.
The strait, which carried around 130 ships per day before the war, has been effectively closed to most traffic for eight weeks. Only five vessels crossed in the 24 hours to Friday, shipping data showed, including one Iranian oil products tanker but none of the supertankers that normally supply global energy markets. Container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd confirmed one of its ships had crossed without providing further details.
Seizures and conditions for reopening shipping route
Iran seized two large cargo vessels in the strait this week. Tehran has said it will not reopen the route until Trump lifts his blockade of Iranian shipping, under which US forces have boarded several Iranian vessels in international waters.
What do you think are the key obstacles to restarting US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan?
