Arabic version: الولايات المتحدة وإيران تبدأ الجولة الثانية من المحادثات السلمية الحاسمة في إسلام آباد
Negotiators from the United States are expected to arrive in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, for a second round of talks with Iran aimed at extending a two-week ceasefire that is set to expire on Wednesday. These diplomatic efforts come in the wake of heightened military tensions, particularly following the US Navy’s interception of the Iranian-flagged container ship, Touska, in the Gulf of Oman. According to Al Jazeera, the negotiations are critical as the ceasefire is set to end on Wednesday.
The backdrop to these discussions includes sharp rhetoric from US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to destroy Iran and wipe out power plants and civilian infrastructure if a deal is not reached. Tehran has labelled the ship’s seizure as “piracy,” casting doubt on its willingness to engage in negotiations while the naval blockade is in effect. The current diplomatic efforts predate the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28.
One significant absence in the negotiations is Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, who was killed in an Israeli air attack in early March. Larijani was seen as a pragmatic negotiator, and his death has left a gap in Tehran’s strategic leadership during these crucial talks.
The US delegation is led by JD Vance, the 41-year-old US vice president, who previously conducted the first round of negotiations in Islamabad on April 11. Alongside him are Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and influential figure in US foreign policy, and Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, both of whom have prior experience with Iranian negotiations.
On the Iranian side, the delegation includes Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliament speaker with a strong military background, and Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister known for his role in the 2015 nuclear deal. As the Wednesday deadline nears, the potential for reaching a lasting agreement remains uncertain, with millions in the region watching closely and fearing the implications of a failed negotiation.
