Washington, DC/Tehran: Will the second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran take place in Islamabad on Monday?
Iranian sources have told CNN that delegations from both sides are likely to arrive in Pakistan on Sunday ahead of the meeting. The first round of talks in the Pakistani capital failed to produce a breakthrough.
However, officials in the US and the region said the discussions were not the final word on the issue, News18 reported.
Iran’s nuclear programme continues to remain at the centre of the disagreement between the two countries.
Sources revealed that US negotiators proposed a 20-year pause on Iran’s uranium enrichment. Iran, however, responded with a counter-offer of a five-year suspension. This proposal was rejected by Washington. The gap between the two positions remains unresolved, challenging the deal.
It has also been reported that Washington is considering releasing around $20 billion in frozen Iranian funds, which Tehran had asked for in t
he earlier negotiation. This would be in exchange for Iran giving up its stockpile of enriched uranium. The proposal reflects ongoing efforts to find common ground despite differences over key issues.
Even as the end of the two-week long ceasefire nears, Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. Movement of vessels through this narrow passage had been restricted since the war began on February 28.
On Friday, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the waterway would remain fully open for commercial shipping as long as the ceasefire holds.
A major breakthrough has been achieved with Israel halting strikes on Lebanon against the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Araghchi was clearly referring to this ceasefire.
US president Donald Trump has, however, said the American naval blockade in the region would continue in full force. He stated that the blockade would remain in place until what he described as a “transaction” is fully completed.
“Iran has just announced that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open and ready for business – but the Naval blockade will remain in full force and effect until such time as our transaction is 100% complete,” he said.
Trump also said that the US would take control of all “nuclear dust” created by its B2 bombers and insisted that no money would be exchanged. He also said that Iran had agreed it would never possess a nuclear weapon.