ISLAMABAD: The United States and Iran are expected to resume second round of direct talks in Pakistan later this week, with Washington insisting that Tehran must fully renounce nuclear weapons as a condition for any agreement.
US–Iran negotiations end in deadlock after 21 hours in Islamabad
The negotiations are scheduled for Thursday, April 16, in Islamabad, according to journalist Arash Azizi, who announced the date and venue on the social platform X. Azizi added that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is unlikely to attend after leading the American delegation in the inconclusive first round last week.
BREAKING: Next round of Iran-US direct talks will be held in Islamabad on Thursday, a source in Tehran tells me
— Arash Azizi آرش عزیزی (@arash_tehran) April 13, 2026
That earlier round, held April 10–11 in a tightly secured Islamabad hotel, stretched over nearly 21 hours but ended without a breakthrough. Diplomats described the atmosphere as tense but businesslike, with both sides wary yet willing to test direct dialogue for the first time since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The talks closed with no joint statement, underscoring the gulf over ceasefire guarantees and nuclear commitments.
President Donald Trump has said he was satisfied with Iran’s refusal to negotiate under conditions that would allow it access to nuclear arms. He later confirmed that Tehran had reached out to resume dialogue, stressing that the central demand remains Iran’s complete abandonment of nuclear weapons.
The discussions are part of wider efforts to ease tensions in the Middle East, where a fragile ceasefire has struggled to hold. Pakistan’s hosting of the talks underscores its role as a neutral venue for dialogue between the long‑estranged rivals.
