Will the war resume? The question is growing as talks between the US and Iran remain deadlocked with in-effect ceasefire’s expiry date just two days away. The war broke out on February 28 after the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, triggering a retaliation that unleashed a deadly exchange of missiles and drones.
After over a month of intense fighting that rattled the entire Gulf and regions beyond, a two-week truce in the war was announced by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on April 8. Pakistan has been brokering the peace between Iran and the US. Track Iran war April 21 updates here
With the is set to expire within days and despite Iran earlier ruling out a second round of negotiations this week, US President Donald Trump on the John Fredericks Media Network on Monday said Tehran would negotiate but reiterated Washington would not allow Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon.
Iranian state television said Tuesday that no Iranian delegation had yet departed for talks with the United States in Pakistan, where US Vice President JD Vance is reportedly set to lead the negotiations.
Will Iran war resume? Top updates so far
-Iranian state television said that no delegation from Iran had yet departed for talks in Pakistan with the United States. “So far, no delegation from Iran has departed for Islamabad, Pakistan; whether it is the main or subsidiary delegation; primary or secondary,” AFP news agency quoted state TV as saying, dismissing reports suggesting otherwise. It quoted unnamed Iranian officials as saying that taking part of the negotiations “depends on the change in the behaviour and positions of the Americans.”
-Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance will travel to Pakistan on Tuesday for negotiations, Axios reported, citing US sources. An Iranian official, speaking to Reuters, said Tehran was “positively reviewing” its participation in the talks but stressed no decision had been made.
-The temporary ceasefire was announced on April 8 by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after over a month of fighting between Iran and the US, which virtually closed off the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is a de facto in charge of which due to its geographical advantage. About a fifth of world’s oil and gas requirements travel through the Strait of Hormuz. The original post was removed and an edited version was later shared again.
– Moments later Trump also posted on Truth Social: “Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump wrote. The message was posted online at 6:32pm US Eastern time (22:32 GMT), just under one and a half hours before Trump’s 8pm (00:00 GMT) deadline for the attack.
-Days after the announcement of the ceasefire, US President Donald Trump announced the beginning of a military blockade of all maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports. Iran called the move an “act of piracy” and warned the US against provocative acts. US imposed the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz to exert economic pressure on Tehran following the collapse of ceasefire talks.
-Iran, meanwhile, has maintained its own chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. It was briefly re-opened on Saturday but quickly shut again, following reports of vessels in or near the strait, including a tanker, being targeted by Tehran. Trump said Iran had “decided to fire bullets” and called it a “total violation” to the ceasefire agreement. Iran said it would keep the route choked until the US stops the blockade of its ports.
-Trump on Monday said the United States would not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran had agreed a peace deal to end the war. “They are losing $500 Million Dollars a day, an unsustainable number, even in the short run,” he said on social media platform Truth Social.
