- US proposes two conditions before restarting Iran peace talks.
- Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is a key demand.
- Iran delegates must have IRGC authority to finalize agree
Days after the first round of talks between the US and Iran collapsed, US President Donald Trump signalled resuming the deal “within the next two days.” The United States has, however, tabled a new list of conditions for the second round of negotiations with Iran.
The first round of talks on ending the ongoing conflict was held in Islamabad. No resolution was reached after 21 hours of negotiations, which led to America blocking Iranian ports.
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Trump was quoted by the New York Post as saying, before the expiry of the ceasefire with Iran on April 21, the “right people” extended the hand for the pending deal. He confirmed the venue for further negotiations would be the same as the first one, Pakistan.
Clearing the air on the venue, Trump said, "It's more likely that we go back there. Why should we go to some country that has nothing to do with it?"
What are the two new conditions set by the US?
The United States has reportedly set two key conditions for the second round of talks. First, Iran must fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil route currently affected by conflict and restrictions. Second, the Iranian delegation must have clear authority from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to negotiate and finalise any agreement.
The US President cited Vice President JD Vance's allegations that the Iranian delegation needed the prior approval of the IRGC. “That's ultimately why we left. The delegation couldn't close anything,” CNN reported Vance as saying.
According to media reports, Trump claimed on Monday that the Islamic Republic of Iran "reached out to us" and "they're eager to negotiate a deal." The talks were initiated by Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator to calm Middle East tensions and find common ground for the US and Iran to negotiate a peace deal.
The White House said Iran's nuclear ambitions were a hurdle to the negotiations as the US is demanding neutralisation of the atomic facilities. These demands reflect Washington's concerns over both maritime security and the lack of decision-making power shown by Iran's representatives in earlier negotiations. While these conditions have been widely reported, officials have not yet issued a formal, detailed confirmation.
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