US and Iran to Meet Again in Islamabad for Nuclear Talks

US-Iran Diplomatic Talks to Resume in Islamabad

Negotiators from the United States are set to arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, for a second round of talks with Iran aimed at extending a two-week ceasefire. The diplomatic efforts follow a recent military escalation, including the interception and capture of an Iranian-flagged container ship by the US Navy in the Gulf of Oman.

The negotiations come after heightened rhetoric from US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to destroy Iran and target civilian infrastructure if a deal is not reached. Tehran has described the ship’s seizure as “piracy” and expressed uncertainty about its participation in the talks while the naval blockade remains in place.

Key figures involved in the negotiations include Ali Larijani, who was permanently silenced following an Israeli air attack in early March. Larijani, a mathematician and philosopher, had been engaged in indirect talks with Washington before the conflict began. He served as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator and played a key role in bridging the security apparatus and political establishment.

The current diplomatic track predates the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28. The negotiations are taking place amid concerns about the impact of a prolonged conflict on daily life for millions of people in the Gulf and beyond.

Source: Al Jazeera