Pakistan was working to bring Iran and the United States together for a second round of talks, senior Pakistani sources told AFP on Tuesday, with one noting efforts to secure an extended ceasefire to allow for diplomacy.
Washington and Tehran held historic face-to-face talks in Islamabad over the weekend, but failed to reach an immediate agreement on ending the war in the Middle East.
"Efforts are underway to bring both parties back to the table, of course we want them back in Islamabad, but the venue is not final yet," said the source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject matter.
"The meeting could take place soon though dates have yet to be confirmed," the source said.
The source added: "We are also working to get the ceasefire extended beyond the current deadline to allow for additional time."
A second official, who also requested anonymity, said the talks were possible before the ceasefire deadline ends next week. "No date and venue has been decided yet," he said.
The first official said Islamabad was "the preferred venue" for Pakistan, but that nothing had yet been finalised.
"The written outlines of demands and concessions have already been shared, so both parties are aware of the potential trade-offs," the official added.
On Monday, US Vice-President JD Vance said Washington had made its "red lines" clear and that "the ball is in the Iranian court."
Earlier in the day, American news agency Associated Press (AP) reported that Pakistan has proposed hosting a second round of talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad in the coming days, before the end of the ceasefire.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the press, said the proposal would depend on whether the parties request a different location.
One of the officials said that, despite ending without an agreement, the first talks were part of an ongoing diplomatic process rather than a one-off effort.
Vance says ‘some progress’ made
US Vice-President JD Vance said in an interview with Fox News Channel’s “Special Report” that negotiations “did make some progress” in the Islamabad talks on the US insistence on the removal of nuclear material from Iran as well as a mechanism to ensure uranium cannot be enriched in the future.
“They moved in our direction,” Vance said in the interview. He said he thought Iranian negotiators were “unable to cut a deal” and needed to get approval from others in Tehran.
Vance also said that US negotiators made clear that Trump “would be very happy if Iran was treated like a normal country, if it had a normal economy”, but he did not go into details about what he meant.
“There really is, I think, a grand deal to be had here. But, it’s up to the Iranians, I think, to take the next step,” Vance said.
The White House was not responsive to queries about whether new talks were being weighed.
“President Trump, Vice-President Vance and the negotiating team have made the US red lines very clear. The Iranians desperation for a deal will only increase with President Trump’s highly effective naval blockade now in effect,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
US, Iran headeding toward second round?
Both the sides are weighing new in-person negotiations in a bid to reach a deal aimed at ending their six-week war before the ceasefire expires next week, two US officials and person familiar with the development said, reported CNN.
The three said discussions were still underway about a new round of talks, while a diplomat from one of the mediating countries went further to say Tehran and Washington have agreed to it.
All four spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic negotiations.
It’s unclear if the same level of delegation would be expected to attend, the diplomat and US officials said.
The diplomat and US officials said Islamabad, Pakistan, was once again being discussed as the host location. The US officials also said Geneva was a possibility, and that while the venue and timing had not been decided, the talks could happen Thursday.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Trump told reporters earlier Monday that “we’ve been called by the other side” and “they want to work a deal.”