The next round of talks between the United States and Iran could reportedly take place this week or early next week, Pakistani and Iranian officials told Reuters. While Iranian officials expressed openness to talks, Pakistani officials said that they reached out to Iran, which showed a ‘positive response’.
Days after the first peace talks ended without a breakthrough, Pakistani and Iranian officials told the agency that negotiating teams from the US and Iran could meet in Islamabad later this week. The US did not confirm any such plans.
Face-to-face talks between Iran and the US were held over the weekend after 47 years, but failed to yield positive results. Shortly after, US President Donald Trump imposed a move to block ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
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A Reuters source involved in the talks said that a proposal had been sent to the US President for the delegations to return to Islamabad to resume discussions. While no date had yet been decided, both countries could return as early as the end of this week, the source said.
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Iran expresses openness to talks
According to the report, an official from the Iranian embassy in Islamabad said that the coming rounds of talks can happen “sometime later this week or earlier next week. But nothing is finalised as of now.”
Earlier, a senior Iranian source told Reuters: “No firm date has been set, with the delegations keeping Friday through Sunday open.”
On Monday, Iranian ambassador Moha,mmad Fathali said that Iran is ready for another round of negotiations with the US, given that there are no “unlawful demands,” HT reported.
“If you want progress in any diplomatic process, [both] sides [should be] ready for negotiations. And unlawfully avoid unlawful demands,” Fathali said.
The Iranian envoy also stressed that the future of the ceasefire depends on the way the US approaches the negotiations. “If they accept our conditions, we should expect that we will have another round of negotiations,” he said.
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Pakistan official says reached out to Iran
Meanwhile, a Pakistani official revealed that they reached out to Iran, who responded with “a positive response that they will be open to a second round”.
The Pakistani official, along with another, said that Islamabad is communicating with both sides regarding the timing of the next round of talks.
Speaking about the official confirmation of the next round of talks, Donald Trump said on Monday that “the right people” reached out to seek a deal.
“We’ve been called this morning, base right people, the appropriate people, and they want to work a deal,” Trump said at the White House.
(With inputs from agencies)
