Iran yet to decide if it will attend new peace talks with US, official tells BBC

April 21, 2026

Iran remains undecided about attending the second round of peace talks with the US scheduled for later this week in Pakistan, citing American inconsistency and aggressive actions as reasons for hesitation. The Iranian foreign ministry accuses the US of lacking good faith, pointing to President Trump's threatening social media posts, the ongoing naval blockade at the Strait of Hormuz, and a recent US Navy seizure of an Iranian vessel. The two-week ceasefire involving Iran and Israel is set to expire on Wednesday, prompting urgent mediation efforts to resume negotiations before the truce ends.

Who is affected

Iran and its foreign ministry delegation
The United States and Vice-President JD Vance's negotiating team
Israel (party to the ceasefire)
Pakistan (mediator and host nation)
Iranian vessel crew taken into US custody
Global economy (affected by Strait of Hormuz closure)
Civilians who could be impacted by attacks on infrastructure like bridges and power plants

What action is being taken

Meetings and urgent exchanges of messages via mediators are under way to create conditions for resumption of talks
Pakistan is in constant touch with Iranians pursuing diplomacy and dialogue
The US naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz remains in force
Pakistan has made preparations to host the second round of negotiations

Why it matters

This matters because the two-week ceasefire between Iran, the US, and Israel expires on Wednesday, and failure to resume negotiations could lead to renewed military conflict. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is causing worldwide economic shocks, making the reopening of this strategic waterway critical for global commerce. President Trump's threats to bomb civilian infrastructure like bridges and power plants could constitute war crimes according to international law experts, potentially escalating the conflict to catastrophic humanitarian levels. These would be the highest-level direct talks between Tehran and Washington since the 1979 Islamic revolution, representing a rare diplomatic opportunity that could either prevent or precede further military escalation.

What's next

The two-week ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday
Iran needs to decide whether to attend the talks before the end of the truce (described as "critical" by Pakistan)
Trump stated he does not want to extend the ceasefire and is "prepared to resume attacks"
Trump said "I expect to be bombing because I think that's a better attitude to go in with"

Read full article from source: BBC