US Vice President JD Vance meets Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad during Iran talks, April 11, 2026. Photo: Reuters
The United States (US) will send a delegation to Pakistan on Monday, April 20, for a second round of negotiations with Iran, as President Donald Trump warned of severe consequences if Tehran refuses a proposed deal.
Trump said American negotiators would arrive in Islamabad but did not specify the officials involved. Iran has not confirmed participation, maintaining that it will not engage in talks while a US naval blockade remains in place, Associated Press reported.
Uncertainty surrounded the participation of Vice President JD Vance. Trump initially said Vance would not attend due to security concerns, but US officials later clarified that he would be part of the delegation heading to Islamabad.
Describing the negotiations as a “last chance”, Trump warned that failure to reach an agreement could trigger major escalation, including threats to Iran’s infrastructure such as power plants and bridges.
He also accused Iran of violating the ceasefire in the Strait of Hormuz and said a deal would happen “the nice way or the hard way”, reiterating that Washington would act decisively if talks fail, The Washington Post reported.
Iran has maintained it will not negotiate under current blockade conditions. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said discussions remain far from final, noting that key gaps persist despite limited progress, The Washington Post reported.
Tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route, after Iran moved to restrict maritime traffic again following a brief reopening.
Iranian forces turned back vessels attempting to transit the waterway and warned that any unauthorised movement could be treated as hostile, amid the continuing US maritime blockade, The Guardian reported.
Iranian authorities reported the arrest of four individuals, including two foreign nationals, over alleged links to a US-Israel espionage network.
The suspects were accused of importing banned satellite internet equipment.
The country has also experienced a near-total internet blackout in recent weeks, with hundreds detained on accusations of cooperating with enemy states.
Iran signalled continued military readiness, saying it has accelerated the replenishment of missile launchers during the ceasefire. Army chief Amir Hatami said forces remain prepared to confront adversaries.
Iran has reopened six airports, including those in Tehran and Mashhad, with international flights from Mashhad expected to resume on Monday, indicating partial restoration of civilian operations.
In Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned of possible military action if Beirut fails to meet commitments under a 10-day ceasefire aimed at curbing Hezbollah’s activities.
Ongoing strikes and the creation of a new military boundary have raised concerns about the durability of the truce.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said both Washington and Tehran appear willing to continue negotiations despite unresolved differences and called for an extension of the ceasefire.
Global reactions
Pope Leo XIV described the ceasefire as a “reason for hope”.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to postpone court testimony citing security concerns, but prosecutors rejected the request, requiring him to appear as scheduled.
This post was last modified on April 19, 2026 10:07 pm