Pakistan, which has served as the main mediator, appeared to be preparing for the second round of US-Iran talks despite the seizure of an Iranian cargo ship by the US.
Two giant US C-17 cargo planes landed at an air base on Sunday afternoon, carrying security equipment and vehicles in preparation for the US delegation’s arrival, two Pakistani security sources said.
Municipal authorities in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad halted public transport and heavy-goods traffic through the city. Barbed wire was rolled out near the Serena Hotel, where last week’s talks were held.
Pakistan is expecting “positive development soon” regarding the Strait of Hormuz following a call from the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Force, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to Trump, Pakistani government sources told Anadolu on Monday with the request of anonymity.
The intense diplomatic efforts by Islamabad come to smooth the way for the second round of talks between the US and Iran, expected any time soon in the Pakistani capital.
“We expect positive development soon,” sources said, referring to a phone call by Field Marshal Munir with Trump during which they discussed the Pakistani mediation process and the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
But uncertainty prevailed on Monday over whether the United States and Iran would hold a second round of direct talks, as mixed signals emerged from Tehran amid intensifying tensions with Washington, even as Islamabad prepared to host the two sides.
Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and a US delegation were set to land in Pakistan for talks on Iran and asserted that a deal would be signed, adding that he would be willing to meet with Iranian leaders himself if progress was made.
Anadolu and Al Jazeera reported that Trump told Fox News that the Iran deal would be signed “today” in Pakistan. It was not immediately clear what timeframe he was referring to.
Trump warned that if no deal was signed, he would “blow up every single power plant and bridge in Iran”.
Iran has neither confirmed the claim nor announced a decision to send a delegation to Islamabad. However, Pakistani sources told the New York Post that Tehran was “willing for a second round” but that “no decision has been taken about” it.
In an interview with the New York Post, Trump said that he would be willing to meet with Iranian leaders himself if progress was made.
Trump said negotiations with Iran were expected to proceed, expressing confidence that talks would not collapse despite lingering uncertainty.
“We’re supposed to have the talks,” Trump said in a brief interview, brushing aside doubts about whether negotiations would fall apart. “So I would assume at this point nobody’s playing games.”
He confirmed that a high-level US delegation – including JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner – was already en route to Islamabad for the next round of negotiations.
Later, Trump said in a Truth Social post that the blockade of Iranian ports would not end until there was a deal between the two sides.
“The blockade, which we will not take off until there is a ‘deal’, is absolutely destroying Iran,” he claimed. “They are losing $500 million dollars a day, an unsustainable number, even in the short run.”
Earlier in the day, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran had yet to decide on whether to attend the next round of talks with the US.
His statement came after Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said earlier in the day that Tehran was continuing negotiations with the US but remains ready to take “necessary measures” amid fears of renewed escalation.
The statements coming from Iran are reminiscent of Tehran’s stance ahead of the first round of Islamabad Talks, when Iran demanded that its “preconditions” be met in order for the dialogue to proceed.
Iran’s leaders were reiterating that stance even hours before the Iranian delegation landed in Pakistan, as a last-minute hurdle over Israeli strikes in Lebanon was eased.
The possibility of talks was cast in doubt after Trump said the US Navy had targeted an Iranian ship attempting to evade its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, although both sides offered differing accounts of the incident.
Iran again closed the strait on Saturday, saying it would not reopen the maritime trade route until the US ended its blockade of Iranian ports.
Addressing a weekly press briefing in Tehran on Monday, Baqaei said, “As of now, while I am at your service, we have no plans for the next round of negotiation, and no decision has been made in this regard”.
The foreign ministry spokesman elaborated that the US was not serious about pursuing diplomacy, citing “violations” of their two-week ceasefire.
“While claiming diplomacy and readiness for negotiations, the US is carrying out behaviours that do not in any way indicate seriousness in pursuing a diplomatic process,” he said.
He highlighted that the US attack on the Iranian cargo ship early on Monday, the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, and delays in implementing a ceasefire in Lebanon were all “clear violations of the ceasefire”.
“Regarding the issue of transferring enriched uranium, neither during this period of negotiations nor before has transferring it to the United States been discussed,” Baqaei said. “It was never raised as an option for us,” he added.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian has said that honoring commitments is the basis of meaningful dialogue. Deep historical mistrust in Iran toward US government conduct remains, while unconstructive and contradictory signals from American officials carry a bitter message; they seek Iran’s surrender. Iranians do not submit to force.
In a statement issued on X, Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian said that adherence to commitments is the logic that justifies any kind of dialogue. In addition to the deep historical distrust in Iran toward the background of the US government’s behavior and performance, the non-constructive and contradictory approach of US officials in recent days carries a bitter message: they seek Iran’s surrender. The people of Iran will not bow to coercion.