US President Donald Trump can attend the face-to-face peace talks with Iran — planned to take place in Islamabad, Pakistan, this week– either “in person or virtually”, if a deal were to be signed, according to news agency Reuters.
Citing a Pakistani source, Reuters said, “Things are moving forward, and the talks are on track for tomorrow,” i.e., Wednesday.
The two-week ceasefire between Tehran and Washington is set to expire on Wednesday, and Trump has said it’s highly unlikely that it will be extended.
Iran Considering Attending Talks
The United States has also expressed confidence that peace talks with Iran would go ahead in Pakistan, even as Tehran has threatened a no-show after the US seized an Iranian-flagged vessel near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.
However, citing a senior Iranian official, Reuters reported that Tehran was “positively reviewing” its participation in talks, despite earlier ruling them out, but stressed no decision had been made.
Where Deal Stands
Despite optimism from both sides, significant hurdles and uncertainty remained as the end of a ceasefire approached.
Trump wants an agreement that would prevent further oil price rises and stock market shocks but has insisted Iran cannot have the means to develop a nuclear weapon.
Tehran, meanwhile, hopes to leverage its control of the Strait of Hormuz to strike a deal with Washington that averts a restart of the war and eases sanctions but does not impede its nuclear programme.
Trump warned on Sunday that the US would destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran if it rejected his terms, continuing a recent pattern of such threats.
Iran has said that if the United States were to attack its civilian infrastructure, it would strike power stations and desalination plants in its Gulf Arab neighbours.
Pak Prepares For Talks
Pakistan, which has emerged as the lead negotiator between Tehran and Washington, has been preparing to host the talks despite uncertainty about whether they would go ahead. Nearly 20,000 security personnel have been deployed across Islamabad, officials said.
US Vice President JD Vance will travel to Pakistan on Tuesday for Iran talks, Axios reported on Monday, citing US sources.
