U.S. Delegation Heads to Pakistan for Iran Peace Talks
A U.S. delegation is expected to depart Tuesday for a second round of face-to-face peace talks with Iran in Islamabad, as the fate of the two-week ceasefire remains unclear. Iran has yet to confirm its attendance, instead warning that it is prepared "to unveil new cards on the battlefield." The ceasefire is set to expire Wednesday.
President Donald Trump told Bloomberg News on Monday that he’s not likely to extend the ceasefire with Iran if no deal is reached. "I’m not going to be rushed into making a bad deal. We’ve got all the time in the world," Trump told the outlet. The United States said it was sending Vice President JD Vance, Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Both sides have expressed support for a negotiated end to the war while also escalating a standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, a choke-point waterway that carries a fifth of the global oil supply and has emerged as a central sticking point in U.S. and Iranian disagreements. The U.S. over the weekend seized the Iranian-flagged ship Touska following reported Iranian attacks on two Indian-flagged ships. The strait is virtually closed to all traffic.
