Doubt surrounds Iran-US talks as ceasefire is set to expire

The prospect of a second round of talks was uncertain Tuesday after Iran’s chief negotiator said Iran would not negotiate in the face of threats while US President Donald Trump offered mixed messages about the path ahead for the US war against Iran, declaring that he was in no rush to end the conflict.

Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker, wrote in a post on X early Tuesday that "We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats,” and the Islamic Republic has been preparing "to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”

Trump indicated that he still expects to dispatch his negotiating team, led by US Vice President JD Vance, to Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad for talks, even as Iran insisted it would not take part until the US leader dialed back his demands. Trump said he’s "highly unlikely” to renew the ceasefire before it expires on Wednesday.

Since the war started, fighting has killed at least 3,375 people in Iran and more than 2,290 in Lebanon. Additionally, 23 people have died in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 US service members throughout the region have been killed.

Associated Press