Iran war: What is happening on day 53 of the US-Israel conflict?
Day 53 of the US-Israel conflict: Diplomatic efforts falter as ceasefire nears end.
Al Jazeera English1 min read
Middle East crisis live: Iran weighs Pakistan talks with US, and claims it has ‘new cards for battlefield’
TL;DR
Iran is considering talks with the US in Pakistan, but uncertainty surrounds the negotiations. Pakistani officials remain hopeful despite Iranian ministers threatening to withdraw under duress.
Key points
- Iran is considering talks with the US in Pakistan
- Uncertainty surrounds the negotiations
- Pakistani officials remain optimistic about the talks
- Iranian ministers threaten to withdraw under duress
- First round of negotiations failed after 21 hours
Mentioned in this story
IranUnited StatesPakistanJD Vance
On Tuesday morning, Islamabad sat poised and ready to host a second round of talks – even as uncertainty reigned over whether both sides would even turn up.
Pakistani officials remained optimistic that the second round of negotiations would happen, even as Iranian ministers said they would refuse to come to the table under the threat of “force” and it remained unclear exactly when US vice-president JD Vance planned to depart Washington for Islamabad.
Roads were shut down around Islamabad’s five-star Serena hotel, where the first round of negotiations took place over a tense 21 hours, but failed to strike any deal.
Police stand guard on a road leading to the Serena hotel in Islamabad as Pakistan prepares to host a second-round of US-Iran talks, despite uncertainly over the meeting will occur. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
Over the past few days, Islamabad and other major cities have been grappling with blackouts lasting more than seven hours, as the country faces a grave energy shortage due to the ongoing blockade of the strait of Hormuz – bringing home the economic gravity of these talks for south Asian countries.
Neighbouring Bangladesh warned this week that its mobile network would soon face a shutdown as they were running out of fuel to run the power stations.
Islamabad’s electricity board released a statement on Monday night making assurances there would be enough electricity to ensure that US and Iranian negotiators were not plunged into darkness for the duration of their meeting.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.
Iran is considering attending peace talks with the US in Pakistan, a senior Iranian official said on Monday, after moves by Islamabad to end a US blockade of Iran’s ports – a key obstacle to Tehran rejoining peace efforts as the end of a two-week ceasefire nears.
But the official also stressed to the Reuters news agency that no decision had been made, while Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said “continued violations of the ceasefire” by the US were a major obstacle to continuing the diplomatic process.
Q&A
What are the key issues in the US-Iran talks in Pakistan?
The key issues include Iran's refusal to negotiate under threat and the uncertainty of US Vice President JD Vance's travel plans.
Why did the first round of US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad fail?
The first round of negotiations failed after 21 hours without reaching any agreement, amid high tensions and security concerns.
What security measures are in place for the US-Iran talks in Islamabad?
Roads around the Serena hotel in Islamabad have been shut down, and police are on guard to ensure security during the talks.
When is the second round of US-Iran talks scheduled to take place?
The second round of talks is set to take place soon, but the exact timing remains uncertain due to the ongoing tensions.
