The United States and Iran are reportedly set to hold a second round of face-to-face talks as early as Friday. The signal for resumed dialogue comes as Washington pressures Tehran with a maritime "counter-blockade" following the collapse of the first round of ceasefire negotiations.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter, that the US and Iran are in discussions to hold additional face-to-face talks. The Associated Press projected a second meeting on May 16, while Reuters reported that negotiators from both sides are expected to return to Islamabad, Pakistan, by the end of this week at the latest. Islamabad, which hosted the first round, along with Turkey and Egypt are currently mentioned as potential venues for the second round. Geneva, Switzerland, is also a possibility.
US President Donald Trump said that day that a maritime blockade against Iran had begun, but added that "Iran has reached out. They desperately want a deal," revealing that backchannel communications are underway.
Vice President JD Vance, who led the first round of talks, also left the door open for further dialogue in a Fox News interview, saying, "We've already offered a lot. Whether additional talks happen, whether we reach an agreement, is entirely up to Iran." An Iranian diplomatic source told the country's IRNA news agency that the next round of talks with the US remains undetermined, but that Tehran is continuously exchanging messages with Pakistan.
Pakistan, which brokered the two-week ceasefire, has reportedly been in continuous contact with both the US and Iran to arrange a second round of talks since the first round collapsed. Extending the ceasefire period is also being explored.
If a second round materializes, the core issue is expected to be highly enriched uranium, the ultimate "red line." According to The Wall Street Journal, the US and Iran agreed to freeze uranium enrichment during the first round of talks but differed on the duration. When Washington demanded a 20-year halt to uranium enrichment, Tehran countered that it could only agree to a freeze of at least three years and at most five years.
The New York Times reported that Iran rejected US demands to ship all of its domestically held highly enriched uranium out of the country. A source familiar with the talks told Reuters that the two sides had reached agreement on more than 80% of issues during the first round before negotiations broke down at the last minute over the nuclear question. The NYT also reported that Iran proposed collecting transit fees through the Strait of Hormuz independently, while the US insisted on "joint management." However, the "20-year freeze" on enrichment differs from Washington's longstanding position calling for Iran's complete denuclearization, suggesting the possibility of a dramatic compromise between the two countries.
Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue meanwhile. According to the WSJ, more than 15 US warships, including one aircraft carrier, guided-missile destroyers, and amphibious assault ships, have been deployed to blockade waters near the strait. US carrier strike forces are also moving toward the Middle East, raising the level of military pressure. According to USNI, a US military publication, the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush is currently sailing off the African coast en route to the Middle East to join operations against Iran. However, Reuters reported that the Chinese tanker Richstari, which is under US sanctions, broke through the US blockade and exited the Persian Gulf.
