After peace talks between the United States and Iran concluded in Islamabad without an agreement, regional mediators are scrambling to secure a second round of negotiations within days, in an effort to prevent the collapse of the fragile two-week ceasefire, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing officials familiar with the matter.
The main points of contention include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without imposing transit fees, the fate of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and Tehran’s demand for the release of some $27 billion in frozen revenues, reports Al-Rai daily.
Pakistani authorities, who hosted the first round of talks, are holding intensive consultations with both Washington and Tehran to revive negotiations before the ceasefire expires.
Despite the lack of a breakthrough, the Pakistani side remains cautiously optimistic about the prospects for continued dialogue.
A high-level Pakistani source was quoted as saying that the main objective was to “finalize negotiations before the deadline”, set for April 22, to avoid a return to open confrontations.
