Second round of US-Iran talks likely next week

Washington is intensifying efforts to revive diplomacy with Tehran, with a second round of talks expected as early as next week and Pakistan’s capital Islamabad emerging as the likely venue, officials said, as multiple fronts of the widening regional crisis show signs of cautious engagement.

US President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran could resume “over the next two days,” following an initial round of talks in Pakistan last weekend that ended without a deal after 21 hours of discussions. Despite the outcome, the White House signaled optimism.

A White House spokesperson said there was “a real opportunity to move forward,” adding that future talks were likely to be held again in Islamabad. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed both sides are willing to continue negotiations, though no date or venue has been finalised.

Iranian officials have also indicated openness to dialogue, with a high-level Pakistani delegation led by the army chief holding talks in Tehran to convey messages between Washington and Tehran. Nuclear issues remain central to the discussions.

At the same time, tensions remain high. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning to Iran’s military leadership, saying, “We are watching you. Our capabilities are not the same… this is not a fair fight,” adding that US forces were “locked and loaded.”

Tehran has strongly pushed back. Iranian authorities described the US naval blockade as a “grave violation” of sovereignty and warned they could expand retaliation by threatening shipping routes in the Red Sea, as well as the Gulf and Sea of Oman, if the blockade continues.

China also criticised Washington’s actions, calling the blockade “dangerous and irresponsible,” while Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged the United States to prioritize dialogue, saying no country refuses talks with Washington but accusing the US of walking away from past agreements.

The US military, meanwhile, said it had expanded its blockade of Iranian ports to include vessels suspected of carrying contraband, including oil, metals, and nuclear-related materials.

According to US officials, no ships passed through the blockade in the first 24 hours, and six merchant vessels turned back after receiving direction from US forces.

However, shipping data indicated that at least four Iran-linked vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz during the same period.

Parallel diplomatic developments unfolded in Washington, where Israel and Lebanon agreed to begin direct negotiations following what US officials described as a “historic” meeting.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States said the talks demonstrated that the parties “are on the same side of the equation,” while Lebanon’s ambassador described the discussions as “productive.”

However, Lebanon’s presidency said it was unaware of any immediate plans for direct leader-level contact, despite earlier statements from President Trump and Israeli officials suggesting such communication could take place.

On the ground, violence has continued. Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon reportedly killed four paramedics and injured six others during an emergency mission.

The Israeli military also destroyed the Qasmiyeh Bridge, a key link between the Tyre and Sidon regions.

A two-week ceasefire involving Lebanon remains in effect, and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said a ceasefire in Lebanon is “as important” as one in Iran, emphasizing Tehran’s push for a broader halt to hostilities across all fronts.

The humanitarian and economic toll of the conflict is growing.

The head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, warned that Europe may have “maybe six weeks or so” of jet fuel left if disruptions continue, raising the prospect of flight cancellations and wider economic fallout, including rising fuel and energy prices.

In Washington, divisions persist over the military campaign.

The US Senate voted down a resolution that sought to halt the war on Iran without formal congressional authorization.

The current crisis escalated sharply after the United States and Israel launched what they described as a “pre-emptive” joint strike on Iranian targets on February 28, with President Trump announcing the start of “major combat operations.”

The conflict intensified further following the reported assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes, after which Mojtaba Khamenei assumed leadership.

Amid mounting tensions, Pakistan brokered a breakthrough on April 8, when the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week “immediate ceasefire.”

However, a follow-up round of negotiations in Islamabad on April 11 failed to produce a deal, leaving key issues unresolved.

Since then, the conflict has expanded beyond Iran, affecting Lebanon through ongoing Israeli operations targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah, while also disrupting global energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz – a critical chokepoint for oil shipments.

The coming days are now seen as pivotal, as renewed diplomatic efforts compete with escalating military and economic pressure, with the prospect of a second round of talks offering a narrow window to prevent further regional escalation.