US and Iran gear up for new round of talks
Photo: The war in Iran began in late February 2026 (Getty Images)
The United States and Iran are actively discussing a new round of talks aimed at ending the war, according to the Associated Press.
Date and location
According to the AP, the meeting could take place as early as Thursday, April 16. The venue has not yet been finalized: two options are being considered, Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, or Geneva.
The Atlantic journalist Arash Azizi, citing a source in Tehran, also notes that the talks will most likely take place in Islamabad.
Representation level
According to media reports, US Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation during the first round, will likely not participate in the meeting. It is expected that the level of representation will be lower.
Previous round and key demands
The first direct talks between the US and Iran took place on April 10–12 in Islamabad. They lasted about 21 hours but ended without an agreement.
The US insisted on Iran’s complete abandonment of its nuclear program, specifically a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment. Iran rejected this proposal, offering a significantly shorter term, less than 10 years. It was this discrepancy that became the main obstacle to reaching an agreement.
The first round of direct talks between the US and Iran, held in Islamabad on April 10–12, ended without results due to Tehran’s refusal to agree to Washington’s key demand, a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment. The Iranian side insisted on a significantly shorter period.
Following the breakdown of the talks, US President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, dispatching 15 warships to the region.
Tehran has demanded compensation from five Arab countries, accusing them of aiding aggression, and has threatened a sharp rise in global gasoline prices. The speaker of Iran’s parliament stated that soon everyone would look back nostalgically on the days of cheap gasoline at $4–5 a gallon.
