The United States and Iran may sit down for another round of in-person peace talks as early as this week, according to two people familiar with the negotiations. The possible new meetings come just days after high-level discussions in Pakistan failed to produce a full agreement to end the ongoing conflict.
Vice President JD Vance led the U.S. team during marathon talks in Islamabad over the weekend. Although no deal was reached, both Vance and President Donald Trump expressed hope on Monday that negotiations could continue. At the same time, U.S. forces began a blockade preventing ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports.
Two major issues remain the biggest obstacles to any agreement. One person close to the talks told NBC News that opening the Strait of Hormuz to allow free flow of shipping is a key sticking point. A second person said Iran’s nuclear program is another major challenge.
During the talks in Pakistan, the U.S. pushed for Iran to suspend uranium enrichment for 20 years. Iran offered only a three- to five-year suspension, which President Trump has called unacceptable. The U.S. has also demanded that Iran remove its highly enriched uranium from the country. In response, Iran proposed a “monitored process of down blending,” in which highly enriched uranium is mixed with less potent material to make it safer.
Trump hinted at possible progress in an interview with the New York Post on Tuesday. He said an update on the talks could come within days and suggested that “something could be happening over the next two days.”
The White House faces growing pressure to reach a deal. Recent polls show many Americans are becoming unhappy with the conflict as inflation continues and gas prices rise. With midterm elections approaching in November, Republican leaders want to protect their narrow majority in the House and their edge in the Senate.
In a separate but related development, Israel and Lebanon held rare direct talks in Washington on Tuesday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio took part in the roughly two-hour meeting—the first such high-level discussion between the two countries since 1993. The talks aimed to ease tensions after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in early March. Israel responded with attacks across Lebanon that have killed more than 2,000 people.
Rubio told reporters the meeting was a “historic gathering” and expressed hope that it could lead to a framework for lasting peace. A State Department official stressed that these Israel-Lebanon talks were not directly connected to the U.S.-Iran negotiations in Pakistan.
Vance described the weekend talks with Iran as containing “good conversations” but said Tehran had not moved far enough on key issues. He emphasized that the “ball really is in their court” and that a “grand deal” is possible if Iran takes the next step. The main point of disagreement, according to Vance, centers on Iran’s uranium enrichment. The U.S. insists that all enriched material must leave Iran and that Tehran must clearly commit to never developing a nuclear weapon.
The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that Iran possesses nearly 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium—enough for about 11 nuclear weapons. Iranian officials insist their nuclear program is peaceful and claim the material remains buried underground after U.S. airstrikes last year.
Despite the tense situation, a two-week ceasefire appears to be holding for now. Iran’s armed forces have accused the U.S. of “piracy” over the blockade and warned of possible threats to other ports in the Gulf. However, experts say both sides seem to recognize that further escalation would be dangerous.
Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, noted that “despite all the bluster,” neither side wants to escalate further. He believes the only realistic way to resolve the conflict is through continued negotiation.
As the possibility of new talks looms, Vance said that if Iran is willing to meet U.S. demands, it could lead to “a very, very good deal for both countries.” The coming days may show whether Tehran is ready to take that step.
