Iran foreign ministry spokesperson says Tehran yet to decide on participating in talks with US in Islamabad

He said US moves against two Iranian vessels amounted to “piracy at sea and state terrorism” and questioned Washington’s seriousness in negotiating.

While he did not specify the incidents he was referring to, US military said earlier on Tuesday that its forces had boarded a tanker under sanctions for trading with Iran, the Tifani, in an operation that took place “without incident” on Tuesday. According to maritime tracker MarineTraffic, the Tifani was laden with 2 million barrels of crude oil loaded at Kharg Island.

On Sunday, the US Navy targeted and seized an Iranian-flagged ship, claiming it was attempting to evade its blockade of the Iranian ports.

Baghaei’s statement came hours after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that Pakistan was awaiting a formal response from the Iranian side regarding its participation in the second round of peace talks with the United States.

Pakistan remains in constant touch with the Iranian side, but a formal response from Tehran regarding participation in the Islamabad Peace Talks had not been received as of 7.30pm PST, the minister said on the social media platform X.

“The ceasefire ends at 4:50am PST, April 22. A decision from Iran to attend the talks before the end of the two-week ceasefire is critical,” he said.

“Pakistan has made sincere efforts to convince the Iranian leadership to participate in the second round of talks, and these efforts continue,” the information minister said.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had urged the US and Iran to “consider extending the ceasefire and give dialogue and diplomacy a chance”, according to the Foreign Office (FO). He expressed these views in a meeting with US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, where the two discussed recent regional developments.

“DPM/FM underscored Pakistan’s consistent emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable means to address challenges and achieve lasting regional peace and stability,” the FO said.

“He stressed the need for engagement between the United States and Iran, urged both sides to consider extending the ceasefire, and to give dialogue and diplomacy a chance,” it said.

Meanwhile, Baker conveyed the US’s appreciation for Pakistan’s constructive and positive role in promoting regional peace and facilitating dialogue, it added.

Separately, US President Donald Trump touted the strong negotiation position of the country in talks with Iran to end the Middle East conflict.

“We’re going to end up with a great deal. I think they have no choice… We’re in a very, very strong negotiating position,” Trump told broadcaster CNBC.

He also said that he did not want to extend a ceasefire with Iran.

“I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time,” Trump said when asked about the possibility of extending the ceasefire.

With the prospect of last-ditch further peace talks still up in the air, Trump said the US would resume its attacks on Iran if a deal is not struck with Tehran soon.

“I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with. But we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go,” he said.

The two-week truce between the US and Iran was supposed to expire at 8pm (Eastern) on Tuesday, April 21. But on Tuesday, Trump said it would now end on Wednesday evening US time.

Earlier on Wednesday, he also accused Iran of violating the ceasefire “numerous times”.

The developments took place as a US delegation was expected in Islamabad amid anticipation of a second round of talks between Washington and Tehran.

The first round of historic direct US-Iran talks, held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, ended without an agreement, but also without a breakdown, as a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire remained in effect.

Pakistan initially positioned itself as a facilitator in the peace process between Tehran and Washington after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, setting off a conflict that gave rise to a global fuel crisis. Later, the White House and Iran acknowledged it as the “sole mediator” in the process.

After the first round of talks, Pakistan’s civil and military leadership engaged in feverish diplomacy, seeking to bring the US and Iran back to the negotiating table.

However, there has been no official announcement from Iran regarding its participation in the expected talks.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian state television said that no Iranian delegation had yet departed for talks. It quoted unnamed Iranian officials as saying that taking part of the negotiations “depends on the change in the behaviour and positions of the Americans”.

Iranian officials have questioned Washington’s commitment towards the talks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticised “unconstructive and contradictory” signals by the US on Monday, saying they carried a “bitter message”.

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry said that the US was not serious about pursuing diplomacy, citing what it called “violations” of their two-week ceasefire. Its spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei, said a US attack on an Iranian cargo ship, the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, and delays in implementing a ceasefire in Lebanon were all “clear violations of the ceasefire”.

Tensions in the Middle East further escalated following the seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman by US forces on Sunday. Trump described the move as enforcement of restrictions on Iranian ports, while Tehran called it “piracy” and responded with increased drone activity near US naval assets in the region surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.

The US maintained its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran lifted and then reimposed its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the issues at the core of the impasse between the US and Iran. Another point of contention is Washington’s demand for long-term commitments on Iran’s nuclear programme, including constraints on enrichment and safeguards against weaponisation.