By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – According to American news media on Tuesday reported that US Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan for a second round of negotiations with Iran has been put on hold after Tehran refused to join the peace talks under the “shadow of threats”.
US official with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed that the trip has been put on hold after Iran didn’t respond to US positions, media reported.
White House confirmed reported earlier that Vance’s likely visit to Islamabad for the second round of peace talks.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, has said that a decision has not yet been made on sending an Iranian delegation to Islamabad for another round of talks with the US.
Baghaei said “We went to this negotiation with good faith and sense of seriousness, but you have a negotiating party that has shown its lack of seriousness, lack of good faith…They’re changing their position frequently, these flip flops, threats of war crimes.”
The talks were planned for Monday, as Trump announced initially, but Iran insisted on US lifting its military blockade in the Strait of Hormuz for negotiations to proceed.
Pakistani delegation-led by the Army chief Asim Munir had also visited Tehran to persuade the Iranian side to return to the negotiating table.
Munir also spoke to Trump and reportedly conveyed to him that the blockade may be hampering the progress.
Both countries have signaled that they want to end the war but neither appears ready to move from the stated positions.
Trump refused to extend the ceasefire, which is set to expire on Wednesday but was hopeful of getting a “good deal.”
