US Eyes Second Round Of Direct Talks With Iran After Islamabad Deadlock: Report

Last Updated:April 14, 2026, 04:42 IST

US President Donald Trump has indicated that he is open to resuming talks if Tehran shows willingness to accept Washington's demands.

US-Iran War: The United States is preparing for a possible second round of direct talks with Iran after marathon negotiations in Islamabad over the weekend failed to produce a breakthrough in the ongoing war, CNN reported.

As per the report, citing people familiar with the matter, US President Donald Trump has indicated that he is open to resuming talks if Tehran shows willingness to accept Washington’s demands.

The US President on Monday also claimed that Iran had called the administration and that “they’d like to make a deal very badly." He didn’t specify who had placed the call, or who in Washington had received it.

Trump officials are internally discussing details for a potential second, in-person meeting with Iranian officials before a ceasefire expires on April 21, a source familiar with the talks told CNN, though it’s unclear whether such a meeting would materialise.

Sources said that discussions on dates and venues are still at an early stage, with cities like Geneva and Istanbul being considered. “We need to be prepared to stand something up quickly should things head in that direction," the source said.

The recent talks in Islamabad lasted nearly 21 hours and involved mediators from countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Oman. Despite the long discussions, both sides failed to reach an agreement. However, officials said the meeting was only one step in what could be a longer negotiation process.

Meanwhile, the US has stepped up pressure by enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. American officials see the blockade as a way to push Iran back to the negotiating table. However, Iran believes it still has leverage due to its control over the strait and its ability to disrupt global oil supplies.

According to a White House official, the non-negotiable parameters include Iran ending all of its uranium enrichment; dismantling its major nuclear enrichment facilities, which were badly damaged during a US bombing run in June; and retrieving the more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried underground.

Iran has rejected these conditions in the past, and its position appears largely unchanged even after weeks of conflict.

In Islamabad on Saturday, both sides presented offers meant to resolve the nuclear issue, officials said. The American negotiators proposed Iran accept a 20-year pause in enriching uranium, a source familiar with the discussions said.

Trump has previously claimed the US and Iran would work together to remove what he calls the “nuclear dust," though Iran appeared unmoved.

There is also growing pressure within the US administration to avoid a return to full-scale conflict, with concerns about the economic and political costs of a prolonged war.

Administration officials remain hopeful a diplomatic off-ramp is achievable, people familiar with the talks said. Depending on the pace of negotiations in the coming days, the US and Iran could also extend the ceasefire deadline to allow for more time, they said.

“There is continued engagement between the US and Iran and forward motion on trying to get an agreement," a US official said.

(With inputs from CNN)

News world US Eyes Second Round Of Direct Talks With Iran After Islamabad Deadlock: Report

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