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Tehran considers participating in negotiations in Pakistan, as tensions and conditions for agreement continue...
The United States has expressed confidence that peace talks with Iran will take place in Pakistan and a senior Iranian official said Tehran is considering participating, but considerable uncertainty remained Tuesday as the end of a ceasefire loomed. The two-week ceasefire in the war that the United States and Israel launched against Iran on February 28 was expected to expire in a day or two, although officials have given different messages about the exact timing.
A first round of talks 10 days ago failed to produce an agreement and Tehran had ruled out a second round this week after the US refused to lift a blockade of Iranian ports and seized an Iranian cargo ship.
However, a Pakistani source involved in the discussions told Reuters that there were positive developments for the resumption of talks on Wednesday and that US Vice President JD Vance was expected in Islamabad. An Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that Tehran was “positively” considering participation, but stressed that it was waiting to see whether its conditions would be met, including recognition of the right to enrich uranium.
The Pakistani source, who asked to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of the matter, said US President Donald Trump could attend, in person or virtually, if a deal is reached.
Oil prices fall slightly on limited optimism about talks
Oil prices fell about $0.50 and Asian markets rose on expectations that talks would resume this week, while European markets remained steady. A day earlier, oil had risen about 6% on doubts about the negotiations.
A senior Iranian military commander said Tuesday that Iran was ready to give an “immediate and decisive response” to any new hostility, according to the Tasnim news agency. Meanwhile, the Iranian ambassador to Pakistan said on social media that no country with a great civilization negotiates under threat or force.
Iran's distrust remains deep, as the US has twice launched air strikes last year while talks were underway.
Chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf accused Trump of increasing pressure through the blockade, saying he is wrong to seek to turn the negotiating table into a "submission table" or justify resuming the war.
The Iranian military said an Iranian tanker entered territorial waters from the Arabian Sea on Monday with the help of the Iranian navy, despite repeated warnings and threats from US naval forces.
Trump wants a deal to prevent further oil price hikes and financial market turmoil, but has insisted that Iran must not have the capacity to develop nuclear weapons. He wants Iran to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Tehran aims to use its control over the Strait of Hormuz to reach an agreement that avoids a resumption of war and eases sanctions, while maintaining a larger part of its nuclear program, which it considers for peaceful purposes.
Trump initially announced that the ceasefire would last two weeks from the evening of April 7 in Washington, but has recently suggested that it will last until Wednesday, April 22. A Pakistani source said it expires at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, which corresponds to 3:30 a.m. Thursday in Iran.
Iran demands release of ship and crew
US Central Command said the ship seized on Sunday had violated the blockade and ignored warnings for six hours.
China, a major buyer of Iranian oil, expressed concern about its detention. Iran demanded the immediate release of the ship, its crew and their families.
Thousands have been killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran and a parallel Israeli campaign in Lebanon. The conflict has caused historic disruptions to global energy supplies and raised fears of a global recession.
The US blockade of Iranian ports has angered Tehran, prompting it to impose restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass. Pakistan, acting as a mediator, has called on Washington to lift the blockade.
"They will negotiate," Trump says
Trump declared on Monday that Iran "will negotiate" and expressed hope for a fair deal, stressing that the country will not have nuclear weapons.
Pakistan is preparing to host the talks despite the uncertainties, deploying around 20,000 security forces in Islamabad.
Trump warned on Sunday that the US would destroy Iran's key infrastructure if it refuses the terms, while Iran has said it will retaliate by hitting its Arab neighbors in the Persian Gulf in the event of attacks on civilian infrastructure.
White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said a deal was close, attributing it to the success of military operations and Trump's strong negotiating style, adding that the president still has other options available if negotiations fail. /Adapted from Reuters /
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