Negotiating teams from the United States and Iran could return to Islamabad later this week to resume talks aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
The development follows the collapse of weekend talks in the Pakistani capital, which raised concerns about the future of a fragile two-week ceasefire.
A source involved in the discussions reportedly said that a proposal to relocate the delegations had been shared with both parties.
“No fixed date has been set, the delegations have left it open from Friday to Sunday,” a senior Iranian source said.
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The blockage increases the pressure
The diplomatic pressure comes even as Washington escalated pressure by imposing a blockade on Iranian ports.
Tehran issued strong warnings in response, calling the move provocative.
According to Reuters, an Iranian military spokesman described any restrictions on international shipping as: “Piracy”, warning that if Iranian ports were threatened, “no port in the Gulf or the Gulf of Oman will be secured”.
The U.S. military said the blockade targets vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, but clarified that it would not disrupt neutral transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz at the center of the crisis
The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint for conflict, with Iran previously restricting access to most vessels, allowing passage only under its control and for fees.
The fallout was significant because nearly a fifth of global oil and gas supplies used to pass through the narrow waterway.
Despite the tensions, shipping data showed three tankers linked to Iran passed through the strait on Tuesday, although none were bound for or out of Iranian ports.
Trump signals openness, draws red lines
US President Donald Trump said Iran had reached out and expressed a willingness to act.
“They want to make a deal,” Trump said, reiterating that any deal must prevent Tehran from possessing nuclear weapons.
Vice President JD Vance, who led the US delegation, said progress had been made but key differences remained.
“We had some good signs, but they didn’t go far enough,” Vance said.
He added that Washington remains firm that enriched nuclear material must be removed from Iran and subject to verification mechanisms.
The truce is holding, but fragile
The two-week ceasefire, which has suspended US-Israeli attacks and Iranian retaliation in the Persian Gulf, is largely in place for the first week.
However, the rhetoric remains heated. Trump has warned against taking decisive action against any perceived threat of a blockade.
“If any of these ships come close to our BLOCKADE they will be ABANDONED immediately,” he wrote on social media.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that any military vessels approaching the strait would violate the ceasefire.
Global powers are wary of involvement
US allies, including Britain and France, have distanced themselves from direct involvement in the blockade, but have expressed a willingness to support maritime security efforts once conditions stabilize.
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will chair a virtual conference on Friday.
The meeting will bring together non-belligerent countries to explore a multilateral defense mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
China criticizes the US move
China, Iran’s biggest oil buyer, criticized the US blockade as “dangerous and irresponsible”, warning it could further escalate tensions.
While diplomatic signals have offered cautious optimism, the situation remains volatile, with military posturing and economic disruption continuing in parallel.
Read also | US military for blockade of Hormuz – could India have been a better mediator?
