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Alsharq Tribune-Ahmed Essam
The process of the expected second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran seems stalled as Iran reportedly decided not to take part, accusing the United States of violating the ceasefire. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump announced to extend the ceasefire on some conditions.
The U.S. president said he will "extend the ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other." The current two-week truce with Iran is set to expire on Wednesday night, according to him.
However, the U.S. military will continue the blockade against Iran and "remain ready and able," Trump said, although Pakistan's Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, told him that the blockade of Iranian ports would remain a major obstacle to meaningful diplomatic progress.
The president said on Monday that it was "highly unlikely" for him to extend the truce, and on Tuesday morning, he told U.S. media that he doesn't want to do that, expecting the United States to "end up with a great deal" with Iran while threatening to bomb Iran again if no deal is reached.
On Tuesday, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said that Tehran had decided not to take part in the second round of talks with the United States in Pakistan, and that the decision was "definitive."
It added that the Pakistani mediator has been informed of Iran's decision, which has been made aiming to completely protect the Iranian people's rights.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday on X that the United States violated the ceasefire by starting a naval blockade of Iran's ports.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told state TV late Tuesday that Iran has not yet decided whether to join fresh peace talks since it was upset about what he called mixed messages from Washington.
"It is not out of indecisiveness, it is because we are facing contradictory messages and behaviors, and unacceptable actions from the American counterpart," Beghaei said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance's trip to Pakistan has been put on hold as he was at the White House for meetings on Tuesday, along with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, multiple media outlets reported.
According to media reports, ss U.S. forces have intercepted and taken custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on Sunday, and Iran has not yet announced its decision to send a negotiating team for talks. The prospect of an expected second round of U.S.-Iran talks remains unclear.
Without an Iranian response, the diplomatic process is in effect paused, though Vance's trip has not been canceled, according to a report from The New York Times, citing U.S. officials.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Wednesday that he hopes the United States and Iran will continue to observe the ceasefire and conclude a comprehensive peace deal for a permanent end to the conflict.
In a statement posted on social media, he thanked Trump for accepting a request to extend the ceasefire "to allow ongoing diplomatic efforts to take their course."
Sharif said Pakistan would continue its efforts toward a negotiated settlement of the conflict.
Pakistan, the main mediator between the two sides, said late Tuesday it is still awaiting Iran's formal confirmation of its delegation for the Islamabad peace talks.
The country's Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a social media post late Tuesday that Pakistan remains in constant contact with Tehran and continues to pursue diplomacy and dialogue. He said Iran's decision to attend the talks before the two-week ceasefire deadline is critical.
He added that Pakistan has made sincere efforts to persuade the Iranian leadership to join the second round of talks, and these efforts continue.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Tuesday reiterated the need for engagement between the United States and Iran, urging both sides to give dialogue and diplomacy a chance.
