Trump Hints Iran Talks Could Resume This Week as US Blockade Persists

Donald Trump indicated that discussions to halt the conflict with Iran might begin this week, following the collapse of weekend negotiations. The American military reported that no ships had navigated through the US-imposed blockade of Iranian ports and coastal zones during the first 24 hours of the operation. This standoff has cast uncertainty over a two-week ceasefire set to end next week.

“You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we’re more inclined to go there [Islamabad],”

The Iranian government has not yet commented on Trump’s remarks. Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres expressed confidence that talks would restart, calling it “highly probable.” Gulf, Pakistani, and Iranian officials mentioned that delegations from Washington and Tehran could reconvene in Pakistan later this week, though a specific date remains unconfirmed, Reuters reports.

Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil and gas transit route, began after US and Israeli strikes on February 28. Over a dozen US warships and approximately 10,000 military personnel are now enforcing the blockade, cutting off Iran’s access to critical trade. The measure targets two main revenue streams: oil exports and tolls charged for passage through the strait.

Ship-tracking data from BBC Verify revealed that four vessels linked to Iran had crossed the Strait of Hormuz despite the blockade. Two of these ships had previously docked at Iranian ports. Additionally, three non-Iranian vessels transited the waterway after the blockade commenced on Monday, according to the analysis.

Initial talks in Islamabad failed to reach an agreement, with the US asserting that Iran had not accepted its terms. A key dispute centered on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, as the US proposed a 20-year suspension of uranium enrichment. Tehran, however, suggested a five-year halt, sources noted in other US media outlets.

As the International Monetary Fund warned that the war could trigger a global economic downturn, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argued that some economic hardship was justified for long-term security. China, meanwhile, criticized the blockade as “dangerous and irresponsible,” predicting it would worsen tensions and weaken the fragile ceasefire.

Separately, Israel and Lebanon announced direct negotiations after talks in Washington, addressing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah in the north. This marked the first face-to-face discussions between the two nations since 1993, with the Lebanese ambassador describing the meeting as “productive” and the Israeli representative calling it a “new era of peace.” A US official clarified that the Islamabad talks were unrelated to the Israel-Lebanon discussions.