Mediators from Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey are trying to nudge the United States and Iran back into talks after last week's negotiations in Islamabad ended without a deal, according to a report by Axios.
The effort comes as a two-week ceasefire period nears its 21 April deadline, raising pressure on both sides to narrow their differences quickly.
The talks in Islamabad reportedly lasted more than 21 hours and ended on Sunday with no agreement. Both sides blamed each other for the failure.
The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, claimed Tehran would not accept Washington's terms on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear programme, while Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Washington had failed to win the full trust of the Iranian side.
Even so, the report said the negotiations have not collapsed completely.
A regional source told the outlet, “We are not in a complete deadlock. The door is not closed yet.” The same source said both sides are still bargaining, while a US official said a deal could still be reached if Iran shows more flexibility.
Iranian officials also signalled that the process was not over. Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said no one should have expected a final agreement in a single session, while Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said the Islamabad talks had laid the foundation for a diplomatic process.
Moreover, a US official said the discussions were tough but turned into a “friendly and productive exchange of proposals.” The official added that Vance still hopes Iran will return to the table in the coming days.
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The main sticking points remain nuclear issues and sanctions relief. The US wants Tehran to freeze uranium enrichment and give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, while Iran wants Washington to release frozen funds in return for its concessions, the report said.
The effort to revive diplomacy comes amid fresh pressure from Donald Trump, who has already blocked ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. The report also said Trump is considering renewed strikes if a naval blockade does not force Iran to back down.
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