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The prospect of a second round of talks was uncertain Tuesday after Iran's chief negotiator said Iran would not negotiate in the face of threats while US President Donald Trump offered mixed messages about the path ahead for the US war against Iran, declaring that he was in no rush to end the conflict.
Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's chief negotiator and parliament speaker, wrote in a post on X early Tuesday that “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats,” and the Islamic Republic has been preparing “to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”
Trump indicated that he still expects to dispatch his negotiating team, led by US Vice President JD Vance, to Pakistan's capital of Islamabad for talks, even as Iran insisted it would not take part until the US leader dialed back his demands. Trump said he's “highly unlikely” to renew the ceasefire before it expires Wednesday.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, to discuss the latest regional developments, as part of a diplomatic push linked to a possible second round of talks between the United States and Iran.
In a statement, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry in Islamabad said both leaders emphasised the importance of dialogue and engagement for peace and stability and agreed to remain in close contact. The statement gave no further details.
Transportation ministers from across the 27-nation European Union are meeting in Brussels to discuss spiking energy prices because of the war in Iran, and how to protect consumers at home and at the pump after the head of the International Energy Agency warned that Europe has “maybe six weeks” supply left of jet fuel.
He said that currently there is currently no crisis, but that the bloc must prepare for the possibility of shortages.
China has expressed support for Pakistan's efforts to facilitate engagement between the United States and Iran for peace and stability in the region and beyond, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said. The ministry said Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong conveyed the message during a meeting with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad, where both sides discussed the latest regional developments.
Israeli strikes killed at least five people in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, hospital authorities said. Four suspected militants were killed when a drone strike hit a security point just after overnight in the southern city of Khan Younis, the Nasser hospital said.
Another man was wounded in the strike, it said. Israel's military didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
China said it hopes all parties can maintain the momentum for peace talks, as the two-week ceasefire in the Iran war is set to expire on Wednesday. "The current situation is at a critical stage of transition between war and peace. At such a moment, it is all the more necessary for all parties to show the utmost sincerity, remain committed to a political solution, maintain the momentum of the ceasefire and negotiations," said China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun.
(Source: AP)
Iran executed a man convicted of helping set fire to a major mosque in Tehran and of collaborating with Israel and the United States during pre-war protests, the judiciary said.
"Amir Ali Mirjafari... one of the armed elements collaborating with the enemy who had attempted to set fire to the Gholhak Grand Mosque and was the leader of the Mossad network's anti-security activities in that area, was hanged this morning," the judiciary's Mizan Online website reported.
Greek security firm MARISKS warned that scam messages offering ships safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for crypto payments are targeting shipping firms with vessels stuck west of the strait. The US continues blocking Iranian ports, while Iran has alternately lifted and reimposed its Hormuz blockade, a chokepoint that carried a fifth of global oil and LNG before the Middle East war.
Iranian state television issued an on-screen alert saying that “no delegation from Iran has visited Islamabad ... so far” as speculation about possible talks with the United States grows. The on-screen alert likely reflects the internal debate ongoing within Iran's theocracy as it weighs how to respond to the US Navy's seizure of an Iranian container ship over the weekend.
Iranian state TV long has been controlled by hard-liners within Iran's theocracy. So far, no official has acknowledged that a delegation will be heading to Islamabad, where officials have been on standby for days now for the possible talks.
(Source: AP)
Refuting media reports, Iran's Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting said that no Iranian diplomatic delegation—be it a primary or secondary team, or an initial or follow-up mission—has travelled to Islamabad, Pakistan so far.
An advance Iranian delegation has reached Islamabad ahead of possible peace talks with the United States, Al Jazeera reported. Separately, The Wall Street Journal said Tehran has told regional mediators it will dispatch a negotiating team, indicating progress despite earlier doubts about its participation.
US Vice President J D Vance is likely to travel to Islamabad on Tuesday for peace talks with Iran to end the seven-week war, according to a media report. On Monday, US President Donald Trump told The New York Post that the Vance-led delegation was already en route to Islamabad, while other media outlets reported that the vice president was very much in Washington.
US President Donald Trump is ready to directly meet Iranian officials to negotiate, reports the New York Times.
The Iran-US war may conclude with a series of ceasefires, but will likely remain a frozen conflict due to these underlying tensions. This means more threats from both sides over Iran’s nuclear program and periodic flare-ups of violence between Israel and Iran, the US and Iran, or both.
According to Tanker Trackers, a supertanker owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company left Iran in late March 2026 bound for the Riau Islands. After offloading 2 million barrels of crude oil there, the vessel navigated back through the blockade and is expected to arrive at Kharg Island tomorrow.
(Source: Iran Media Press TV)
In a post on X, Nikki Haley, the Indian-origin member of US President Donald Trump's Republican Party, said, "The ship the US seized in the Strait of Hormuz this weekend was headed from China to Iran and is linked to chemical shipments for missiles. It refused repeated orders to stop. Another reminder that China is helping prop up Iran’s regime—a reality that can’t be ignored."
The ship the U.S. seized in the Strait of Hormuz this weekend was headed from China to Iran and is linked to chemical shipments for missiles.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) April 20, 2026
It refused repeated orders to stop.
Another reminder that China is helping prop up Iran’s regime—a reality that can’t be ignored.
Iran condemns US attack on its vessel calls it "criminal"; urges UN to "secure release of our vessel."
🔴#BREAKING | Iran condemns US attack on its vessel calls it "criminal"; urges UN to "secure release of our vessel"
— NDTV (@ndtv) April 21, 2026
NDTV's @AdityaRajKaul joins @ParmeshwarBawa with more details pic.twitter.com/tHSlbkwFkG
Iran's Foreign Ministry issues statement condemning US attack on commercial vessel and abduction of crew and families:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the “criminal and illegal” attack by the United States on the Iranian commercial vessel Touska in the Sea of Oman, near Iran’s territorial waters.
Countries standing up for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz are sending “the right message”, the head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said as tensions between Iran and the United States continue to threaten global shipping.
Speaking to Singapore media, Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the IMO, also cautioned against the growing use of shipping as leverage in geopolitical conflicts.
Iran will not negotiate with the United States "under the shadow of threats", Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday, ahead of the second round of peace talks in Islamabad.
Since the war started, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran, according to a new toll released in official Iranian media by Abbas Masjedi, the head of Iran's Legal Medicine Organization. He did not break down casualties among civilians and security forces, saying instead that 2,875 were male and 496 were female. Masjedi said 383 of the dead were children 18 years old and under.
(Source: AP)
Oil prices pulled back after a sharp rally, as uncertainty over Iran's participation in potential talks with the US tempered bullish momentum driven by supply fears. The market remains highly reactive to geopolitical headlines, oscillating between escalation risks and fragile diplomatic signals.
Historic diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon were set to resume on Thursday in Washington, officials from both countries and the US said. All three spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the behind-the-scenes negotiations.
The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors met last week for the first direct diplomatic talks in decades. Israel says the talks are aimed at disarming Hezbollah and reaching a peace agreement with Lebanon.
Iranian official Syed Abbas Araghchi warned on X that Tehran will not negotiate with the U.S. "under shadow of threats" and threatened to use new battlefield "cards" if talks fail.
US President Donald Trump says Iran’s leadership has sent hundreds of ships toward the U.S., mainly Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, to get their oil, and sarcastically added "Thank you very much."
Donald Trump Truth Social
The US President lashed out at war critics at home who are urging him to wrap up the conflict that began more than seven weeks ago. "How bad is it that when you are in the middle of negotiations and you have got the Iranians in a perfect position, including being militarily defeated, and you have Democrats and some Republicans asking to settle it now?" Trump told the New York Post.
Iran may send Iranian Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf for talks as US, Iran signal readiness for talks, reports New York Times
🔴#BREAKING | Iran may send Iranian Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf for talks as US, Iran signal readiness for talks, reports New York Times
— NDTV (@ndtv) April 21, 2026
NDTV's @VishalV054 joins @divyawadhwa with more details pic.twitter.com/wr9RtgAIt0
"We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats,” Parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf wrote early Tuesday morning in Tehran in a social media post on X. He accused the United States of wanting Iran to surrender and said that on the contrary, Iran has been preparing “to reveal new cards on the battlefield."
ترامپ با اعمال محاصره و نقض آتشبس میخواهد تا به خیال خود این میز مذاکره را به میز تسلیم تبدیل کند یا جنگافروزی مجدد را موجّه سازد.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 20, 2026
مذاکره زیر سایهٔ تهدید را نمیپذیریم و در دو هفتهٔ اخیر برای رو کردن کارتهای جدید در میدان نبرد آماده شدهایم.
US President Donald Trump says the US is winning the war against Iran "by a lot," citing its destroyed navy, grounded air force, missing defenses, regime change, and a blockade costing Iran $500M daily. He claims the media — NYT, WSJ, Washington Post — falsely portrays it as a loss and is "rooting for Iran," but insists victory is certain under his leadership.
Trump says Democrats are trying to undermine US leverage with Iran and rush a deal. He denies being under pressure, argues past wars took years while military action against Iran was faster, and claims only his administration can properly fix the 47-year "mess" left by others. He calls Democrats "traitors" for criticising his approach despite their past warnings about Iran.
Trump claims his new Iran deal will be "far better" than the Obama/Biden-era JCPOA, which he calls one of the worst deals for US security and a "guaranteed road to a nuclear weapon." He alleges the JCPOA gave Iran $1.7 billion in cash flown on a Boeing 757 plus "hundreds of billions" more, and says ending it prevented nuclear attacks on Israel, the Middle East, and U.S. bases.
US President Donald Trump whipsawed in telephone interviews and social media posts between measured optimism that a deal could soon be reached and warning that "lots of bombs" will "start going off" if there's no agreement before the ceasefire deadline.
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