Pakistan said Iranian military aircraft were present in the country during the April 11-12 Islamabad peace talks but denied any connection to military contingency planning. It described a US media report suggesting otherwise as speculative and misleading.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked US President Donald Trump for extending the ceasefire in the Iran conflict, expressing hope the pause would enable a lasting peace agreement. Sharif said Pakistan would continue facilitating dialogue ahead of second-round talks scheduled in Islamabad. The extension comes as Iran has not formally confirmed participation and the US maintains its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
US President Donald Trump has accused Iran of repeatedly breaching a fragile ceasefire, creating uncertainty ahead of planned US-Iran talks in Islamabad. The two-week ceasefire, which began April 8, faces a Wednesday deadline. Tensions have escalated following a US Navy seizure of an Iranian container ship, with global energy prices rising as Brent crude nears $95 per barrel. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned that Iran does not accept negotiations under threat, while Pakistani officials prepare for potential high-level discussions.
Trump stated he is ready to resume military action against Iran if the two-week ceasefire expires without a new deal. The US and Iran agreed to continue negotiations in Islamabad, though Trump acknowledged uncertainty about Iran's participation. The president insisted Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and denied conflict of interest involving Jared Kushner, who is part of the US delegation despite conducting private business in the Middle East. Trump also disputed his Energy Secretary's forecast that gas prices might drop to $3/gallon only next year, predicting prices would drop sharply if the Iran conflict ends. Republican strategists reportedly fear losing November midterm elections if fuel prices don't decline.
American leader said earlier that US Vice President will not take part in the Islamabad talks due to security considerations as the Secret Service cannot do it on 24 hours notice
During recent negotiations in Islamabad, the United States proposed a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment to Iran. Iran rejected the long-term duration, offering a 'single-digit' period instead, leaving the parties without a final agreement.
Iran's judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei claims the US failed to secure concessions at Islamabad talks that they could not win during a 40-day war. Negotiations led by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and JD Vance concluded without a long-term settlement.
