Iran is reportedly considering attending a new round of peace talks with the United States this week, as the U.S. blockade continues and President Donald Trump escalates threats against Iran.
The U.S. will send a delegation to Pakistan for potential peace negotiations this week. Iran had previously said it would not participate, but is now considering doing so due to Pakistan’s efforts to halt the blockade, Reuters reported.
The countries’ two-week ceasefire expires this week. Trump told PBS News that if the ceasefire ends without a deal, “lots of bombs start going off”.
Trump said preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons was the U.S.’ main goal for the talks. “No nuclear weapons. Very simple.”
Iran is “positively reviewing” attending the talks, a senior Iranian official told Reuters, but has not made a final decision. An Iranian delegation is making plans to travel to Islamabad for potential negotiations, the New York Times also reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reportedly said that U.S. violations of the ceasefire are an obstacle to further negotiations.
The U.S. seized a sanctioned Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, meanwhile, claiming that it had tried to bypass the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports.
Trump has said that the blockade will not end until the U.S. and Iran reach a deal.
The U.S. will also host peace talks between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday. Israel invaded Lebanon in March following attacks by Iranian ally Hezbollah amid the Iran war, and the countries agreed to a 10-day ceasefire last week.
