US Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks during a press conference after meeting with representatives of Pakistan and Iran in Islamabad on April 12, 2026, with US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, left, and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff monitoring.
Jacqueline Martin AFP | getty images
Two senior Pakistani officials said the US and Iran will return to Pakistan next week for another round of peace talks now told ms On Wednesday.
The latest sign of the countries’ continued efforts to reach a diplomatic end to the war comes from officials who are involved in finalizing decisions with the US and Iranian teams but did not want to be named due to sensitivity over the talks, MS Now reports.
The move to restart stalled peace talks came as tensions continued to rise in the Persian Gulf, threatening a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran.
Oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has reduced as Iran poses a threat to passing ships and the US has imposed retaliatory sanctions against Iranian ports.
President Donald Trump, who last week said the ceasefire agreement was subject to the full reopening of the strait, had complained about the lack of activity in the vital shipping route before the blockade was announced.
On Wednesday, Iranian state news outlet Fars informed Tehran is suspending all petrochemical exports until further notice.
US Vice President JD Vance, left, talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif before their meeting on Iran amid US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad on April 11, 2026.
Jacqueline Martin AFP | getty images
Still, the White House said Wednesday it was optimistic about a potential peace deal emerging.
Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt told reporters at a White House briefing that “discussions are taking place,” and “we feel good about the prospects for a deal,” while cautioning that the next round of in-person talks have not yet been made official.
Levitt also said the talks would “very likely” take place in Islamabad, “the same place where they were held last time.” Pakistan has facilitated communication between the warring powers.
The first round of talks last weekend – a marathon 21-hour session led by Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on the US side – ended without any agreement.
“Pakistan is the sole arbiter in this conversation,” Levitt said, praising the regional power for its help so far.
Levitt also said it is “not true” that the US has requested an extension of the ceasefire, which is set to expire next Tuesday.
“The United States has not formally agreed to an extension of the ceasefire. Negotiations are continuing between the US and Iran to reach an agreement,” a senior US official told CNBC on Wednesday morning.