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ISLAMABAD (AP) — Last-minute ceasefire talks betwixt the United States and Iran looked uncertain Tuesday arsenic a two-week truce was acceptable to expire and some countries warned that, without a deal, they were prepared to resume fighting.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, expected to pb U.S. negotiators if talks proceed successful Pakistan, remained successful Washington connected Tuesday, a White House authoritative said. And Pakistan, which has been urging some sides to instrumentality to Islamabad, said it was inactive awaiting confirmation connected whether Iran would participate.
Earlier successful the day, 2 determination officials said Washington and Tehran had signaled they would clasp a 2nd circular of talks, with Vance starring the U.S. squad and Iranian parliament talker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf arsenic its apical negotiator. Both spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that they were not authorized to little reporters.
But Pakistan’s accusation minister, Attaullah Tarar, said aboriginal Tuesday connected X that Iran had not formally confirmed its participation, which was acceptable to expire Wednesday. And Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told Iran’s authorities TV determination has been “no last decision” connected whether to be ceasefire talks due to the fact that of “unacceptable actions from the American counterpart.”
Vance had argumentation meetings scheduled astatine the White House connected Wednesday morning, said a White House authoritative who was not authorized to talk publically and spoke connected information of anonymity. The vice president’s bureau and the White House did not instantly respond to messages asking whether Vance inactive intends to question to Pakistan.
Trump says helium doesn't favour extending ceasefire
Both sides stay dug successful rhetorically. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that “lots of bombs” volition “start going off” if there’s nary statement earlier the ceasefire deadline, and Iran’s main negotiator said that Tehran has “new cards connected the battlefield” that haven't yet been revealed.
The ceasefire, which began April 8, could beryllium extended if talks resume, though Trump said successful an interrogation Tuesday with CNBC: “Well, I don't privation to bash that.”
"We don’t person that overmuch time,” Trump said, adding that Iran “had a choice” and “they person to negotiate.”
White House officials person said that Vance would pb the American delegation, but Iran hasn't said who it mightiness send. Iranian authorities tv connected Tuesday broadcast a connection saying that “no delegation from Iran has visited Islamabad … truthful far.”
US says its forces committee sanctioned lipid tanker
On Tuesday, the U.S. said its forces boarded an lipid tanker antecedently sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude lipid successful Asia. The Pentagon said successful a societal media station that U.S. forces boarded the M/T Tifani “without incident.”
The U.S. subject did not accidental wherever the vas had been boarded, though ship-tracking information showed the Tifani successful the Indian Ocean betwixt Sri Lanka and Indonesia connected Tuesday. The Pentagon connection added that “international waters are not a refuge for sanctioned vessels.”
The U.S. subject connected Sunday seized an Iranian instrumentality ship, the archetypal interception nether a blockade of Iranian ports. Iran’s associated subject bid called the equipped boarding an enactment of piracy and a usurpation of the ceasefire.
Strait of Hormuz power cardinal to negotiations
The U.S. imposed the blockade to unit Tehran into ending its stranglehold connected the Strait of Hormuz, a cardinal shipping lane done which 20% of the world’s earthy state and crude lipid transits successful peacetime.
Iran’s grip connected the strait has sent lipid prices soaring. Brent crude, the planetary standard, was trading astatine adjacent to $95 per tube connected Tuesday, up much than 30% from Feb. 28, the time that Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran to commencement the war.
Before the warfare began, the Strait of Hormuz had been afloat unfastened to planetary shipping. Trump has demanded that vessels again beryllium allowed to transit unimpeded.
European Union proscription ministers were gathering Tuesday successful Brussels to sermon however to support consumers aft the caput of the International Energy Agency warned that Europe has “ possibly six weeks ” of pitchy substance supplies remaining.
Over the weekend, Iran said that it had received caller proposals from Washington, but besides suggested that a wide spread remains betwixt the sides. Issues that derailed the past circular of negotiations included Iran’s atomic enrichment program, its determination proxies and the strait.
Qalibaf connected Tuesday accused the United States of wanting Iran to surrender.
“We bash not judge negotiations nether the shadiness of threats,” helium wrote successful an X post.
Pakistan hopeful talks volition proceed
Pakistani officials person expressed assurance that Iran volition besides nonstop a delegation to resume talks that people the highest-level negotiations betwixt the U.S. and Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The archetypal circular April 11 and 12 ended without an agreement.
Pakistan said Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Tuesday with the acting U.S. ambassador successful Islamabad to impulse a ceasefire extension. Dar besides met with the ambassador from China, a cardinal trading spouse with Iran.
Security has been tightened crossed Pakistan’s capital, wherever authorities person deployed thousands of unit and accrued patrols on routes starring to the airport.
Israel jails soldiers for defacing Jesus statue successful Lebanon
Israel’s subject said Tuesday it has sentenced 2 soldiers to 30 days successful jailhouse and removed them from combat work for smashing a statue of Jesus Christ successful Lebanon. Images of an Israeli worker with a sledgehammer smashing the statue's caput emerged implicit the weekend, bringing wide condemnation.
Israel said 1 of the soldiers being punished hammered the statue to the ground. The different filmed the destruction. The Israeli subject said it replaced the statue.
Meanwhile, historical diplomatic talks betwixt Israel and Lebanon were acceptable to resume connected Thursday successful Washington, an Israeli, a Lebanese and a U.S. authoritative said. All 3 spoke connected information of anonymity to sermon the behind-the-scenes negotiations.
The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors met past week for the archetypal nonstop diplomatic talks successful decades. Israel says the talks are aimed astatine disarming Hezbollah and reaching a bid statement with Lebanon.
A 10-day ceasefire began connected Friday successful Lebanon, wherever warring betwixt Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants broke retired 2 days aft the U.S. and Israel launched associated strikes connected Iran to commencement the war. Fighting successful Lebanon has killed much than 2,290 people.
Since the warfare started, astatine slightest 3,375 radical person been killed successful Iran, according to authorities. Additionally, 23 radical person died successful Israel and much than a twelve successful Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers successful Lebanon and 13 U.S. work members passim the portion person been killed.
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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Bynum reported from Savannah Georgia. Associated Press journalists Michelle Price, Aamer Madhani and Darlene Superville successful Washington; Samy Magdy successful Cairo; David Rising and Huizhong Wu successful Bangkok; Sam McNeil successful Brussels; Julia Frankel successful New York; Bill Barrow successful Atlanta and Russ Bynum successful Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this story.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.
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