ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON/DUBAI: US President Donald Trump said that a second round of talks with Iran could be held in Islamabad "over the next two days", according to a media report on Tuesday. "You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we're more inclined to go there," Trump told The New York Post. Trump attributed the possibility of a second round of talks to the "great job" done by Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. "It's more likely, you know why? Because the field marshal is doing a great job," the US President said. Also Read: Trump deploys 10,000 troops, over 12 warships & more for Hormuz blockade; no ships cross in first 24 hours, says US Central Command The collapse of weekend negotiations prompted Washington to impose a blockade on Iranian ports. The highest-level talks between the two adversaries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ended in the Pakistani capital without a breakthrough, raising doubts over the survival of a two-week ceasefire that still has a week to run. On Tuesday, a person close to the developments said a proposal had been shared with Washington and Tehran to resend their delegations and a meeting could happen soon. "No firm date has been set, with the delegations keeping Friday through Sunday open," a senior Iranian source said. Nearly 24 hours into the US blockade, there had yet to be reports of Washington taking direct action against shipping to enforce it. Three Iran-linked tankers were seen transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, shipping data showed, but the vessels were not heading to or from Iranian ports. Testing Donald's Patience Meanwhile, a US-sanctioned tanker linked to China sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz and into the Gulf of Oman, testing Trump's naval blockade. Also Read: PM Modi speaks to Trump on importance of keeping Strait of Hormuz "open and secure" Rich Starry, a medium-range tanker earlier known as Full Star, was blacklisted by Washington in 2023 for helping Tehran evade energy sanctions. It is not clear on this occasion whether it visited Iranian ports before its transit, or is carrying cargo. The exit is a second attempt for the carrier, which began a first as the US blockade came into effect on Monday, only to turn back. It then restarted later, and appeared to turn the bend into the eastern side of Hormuz on Tuesday. 'Dangerous, irresponsible' Also on Tuesday, China accused the US on Tuesday of "dangerous and irresponsible" behaviour over its blockade of Iranian ports, with President Xi Jinping vowing Beijing would play a "constructive role" in promoting peace in West Asia. "The US increased military deployments and took a targeted blockade action, which will only exacerbate tensions and undermine the already fragile ceasefire agreement and further jeopardise safety of passage through the Strait (of Hormuz)," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference. "This is dangerous and irresponsible behaviour," he added. Macron Urges Dialogue French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he had urged Trump and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian to resume stalled talks towards ending the Iran war. "I urged the resumption of the negotiations suspended in Islamabad, the clearing up of misunderstandings, and the avoidance of any further escalation," the French president wrote on X, after speaking to both leaders late on Monday. "It is essential, in particular, that the ceasefire be strictly respected by all parties and that it include Lebanon," Macron said. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) "You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we're more inclined to go there," Trump told The New York Post. Trump attributed the possibility of a second round of talks to the "great job" done by Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. "It's more likely, you know why? Because the field marshal is doing a great job," the US President said. Also Read: Trump deploys 10,000 troops, over 12 warships & more for Hormuz blockade; no ships cross in first 24 hours, says US Central Command The collapse of weekend negotiations prompted Washington to impose a blockade on Iranian ports. The highest-level talks between the two adversaries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ended in the Pakistani capital without a breakthrough, raising doubts over the survival of a two-week ceasefire that still has a week to run. On Tuesday, a person close to the developments said a proposal had been shared with Washington and Tehran to resend their delegations and a meeting could happen soon. "No firm date has been set, with the delegations keeping Friday through Sunday open," a senior Iranian source said. Nearly 24 hours into the US blockade, there had yet to be reports of Washington taking direct action against shipping to enforce it. Three Iran-linked tankers were seen transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, shipping data showed, but the vessels were not heading to or from Iranian ports. Testing Donald's Patience Meanwhile, a US-sanctioned tanker linked to China sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz and into the Gulf of Oman, testing Trump's naval blockade. Also Read: PM Modi speaks to Trump on importance of keeping Strait of Hormuz "open and secure" Rich Starry, a medium-range tanker earlier known as Full Star, was blacklisted by Washington in 2023 for helping Tehran evade energy sanctions. It is not clear on this occasion whether it visited Iranian ports before its transit, or is carrying cargo. The exit is a second attempt for the carrier, which began a first as the US blockade came into effect on Monday, only to turn back. It then restarted later, and appeared to turn the bend into the eastern side of Hormuz on Tuesday. 'Dangerous, irresponsible' Also on Tuesday, China accused the US on Tuesday of "dangerous and irresponsible" behaviour over its blockade of Iranian ports, with President Xi Jinping vowing Beijing would play a "constructive role" in promoting peace in West Asia. "The US increased military deployments and took a targeted blockade action, which will only exacerbate tensions and undermine the already fragile ceasefire agreement and further jeopardise safety of passage through the Strait (of Hormuz)," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference. "This is dangerous and irresponsible behaviour," he added. Macron Urges Dialogue French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he had urged Trump and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian to resume stalled talks towards ending the Iran war. "I urged the resumption of the negotiations suspended in Islamabad, the clearing up of misunderstandings, and the avoidance of any further escalation," the French president wrote on X, after speaking to both leaders late on Monday. "It is essential, in particular, that the ceasefire be strictly respected by all parties and that it include Lebanon," Macron said. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON/DUBAI: US President Donald Trump said that a second round of talks with Iran could be held in Islamabad "over the next two days", according to a media report on Tuesday. "You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two da…
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International mediators have proposed a 10-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran, according to a senior Iranian official cited in reports. The measure is described as intended to reduce hostilities and allow renewed talks on a prior interim agreement.
Both sides are assessing next steps in the current regional security situation.
Reports indicate that a US-Iran ceasefire has broken down amid renewed fighting, with the potential impact of mediation efforts by Pakistan, Qatar, and Oman remaining unclear. Earlier diplomatic steps included a June memorandum of understanding between the parties for further negotiations and talks hosted in Geneva in February.
The summary also references Europe’s historical role in diplomacy, including the 1814-15 Congress of Vienna.
Donald Trump stated in a Fox News interview that his representatives had spoken with Iranian officials an hour earlier and that those officials wanted to make a deal to end the conflict, though he noted they had broken prior agreements and expressed uncertainty about whether one would be reached.
He added that people do not want to die and that Iran would need to proceed carefully to avoid further losses. The remarks come amid an ongoing US-Iran conflict that has involved casualties and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, with some social media users criticizing the repetition of similar statements.
Why the Iran-US ceasefire is falling apart Iran and the US have resumed fighting because they don’t see each other as ‘reliable negotiating partners’, says analyst Ali Vaez. Neither Iran nor the United States seems able to deliver a “knockout blow at an acceptable price” to the other side, and both know “they have no choice other than engaging in diplomacy”, but they’re not ready to make uncomfortable concessions, argues Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at International Crisis Group.
Vaez tells host Steve Clemons that Tehran and Washington are trying to “enforce their own interpretation” of the ceasefire agreement they signed last month. President Trump has become “frustrated” with diplomacy because he’s not seeing “the kind of quick results that he likes to see”, Vaez says.