US-Iran Talks In Doubt As Tensions Grow, Outlook Unclear

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Dubai – Pakistan has warned Donald Trump that a continued US naval blockade of Iranian ports risks collapsing fragile diplomatic efforts to prevent a renewed war, as Tehran signals it will not attend a second round of negotiations in Islamabad, and Washington casts doubt over extending a ceasefire due to expire this week.

According to a Reuters report citing a Pakistani security source, Islamabad's chief mediator, army head Field Marshal Asim Munir, told Trump that the blockade was undermining attempts to bring Iran back to the table. The warning comes amid escalating tensions following a US boarding of an Iranian cargo vessel in the Sea of Oman, an incident Tehran has condemned as an act of aggression.

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Trump is said to have responded that he would“consider” the advice, but his public remarks suggest a diminishing appetite for diplomacy. In comments to Bloomberg, the US president said he was“highly unlikely” to extend the two-week ceasefire announced earlier this month, raising fears of renewed hostilities between the US and Iran.

Iran pulls back from talks

Iran has hardened its stance in recent days, linking any return to negotiations with the lifting of the blockade and accusing Washington of bad faith. Officials in Tehran say US demands remain excessive and inconsistent with earlier understandings conveyed through Pakistani intermediaries.

Speaking from Ankara, deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh insisted diplomacy remained the only viable path but warned that Iran would not compromise on sovereignty or security.“The United States has tried war,” he said,“but it cannot achieve its objectives through force.”

“The enemies thought they could create cognitive confusion among the [Iranian] people and then push them to act against their own country. However, the overwhelming majority of the people stood up against this.”

Khatibzadeh said Iranians are facing a“vile” enemy, whose scale of shamelessness, hostility, and crime is immeasurable.

“Yet despite all this, a people, a nation, and a country like Iran have no choice but to emerge victorious in this national battle, in this national resistance. Defeat is not an option,” he said.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei echoed that position, pointing to what he described as contradictions between US rhetoric and actions. Tehran has already retaliated symbolically by declaring the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed, a move with potentially severe consequences for global energy markets.

The Iranian leadership has also vowed retaliation for the seizure of its merchant vessel and indicated it will not send a delegation to Islamabad unless a clearer framework for talks emerges.

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Islamabad, which hosted the first round of talks on 11 April, is scrambling to salvage the diplomatic track. Deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar held a call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, urging continued engagement to stabilise the region.

Pakistan's mediation has drawn international attention, with Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong praising Islamabad's“constructive role” and warning of broader economic fallout if tensions escalate.

Officials familiar with the process say the first round of negotiations yielded little progress, in part due to disagreements over a ceasefire framework linked to wider regional conflicts, including tensions involving Israel and Lebanon.

Ceasefire on brink

Senior Iranian and American negotiators held approximately 21 hours of talks in Islamabad on April 11 without an agreement, with Iranian officials blaming Washington for its excessive demands and shifting positions.

While Trump has indicated a new US negotiating team - reportedly led by vice-president JD Vance - could travel to Pakistan, his reluctance to extend the truce has cast doubt on the initiative.

The standoff is already reverberating beyond the immediate conflict zone. Analysts warn that disruption in the Gulf, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, could deepen a global energy crisis and hit developing economies hardest.

Meanwhile, parallel diplomatic efforts are under way elsewhere in the region. US officials confirmed that Israeli and Lebanese representatives will meet in Washington later this week, underscoring how multiple interconnected conflicts are shaping the broader crisis.

A narrowing path to diplomacy

For now, Pakistan's attempt to position itself as a neutral broker hangs in the balance. With Iran refusing to attend talks under current conditions and the US maintaining military pressure, the space for diplomacy appears to be shrinking rapidly.

Whether Washington softens its stance - particularly on the blockade - may determine if negotiations resume or if the region slides back into open conflict.

Vance at White House, Not Pakistan

Reports based on Trump saying to The New York Post that Vice President JD Vance was en route to Pakistan were off by several thousand miles.

The vice president's motorcade pulled up to the White House at roughly 11 am EST on Monday, meaning that he has not left for Islamabad for talks regarding the Iran war.

US official confirms it will host another round of Israel-Lebanon talks this week. -AP

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