US-Iran likely to return to Islamabad for next round of negotiations this week: Report

With the two-week ceasefire nearing its expiry, the United States and Iran could return to Islamabad this week to the second round of negotiations to end the war, reported Reuters.

According to the news agency, a fresh proposal has been shared with both Iran and the US to resend their delegations even as no date has been finalised for the meeting with delegations from Tehran and Washington keeping Friday through Sunday open.

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The two countries had met in Islamabad on Saturday last week to discuss an agreement to end the conflict but the talks collapsed after they failed to reach consensus on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

After the failed Islamabad talks, Trump had apparently suggested that the US and Iranian delegations reached consensus on most of the issues but Tehran’s nuclear ambitions were the key sticking point.

According to a New York Times report, the US was pushing for a 20-year ban on Iran’s nuclear enrichment. However, Tehran was ready to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities only for five years.

The Iranians had reportedly made a very similar proposal in February this year during direct negotiations with the US, a move that prompted the US and Israel to attack Iran.

Free passage through the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas is the other critical issues that may hamper the negotiations.

The report, however, claimed that the fact that the two sides are now arguing over the time period for suspending nuclear activity suggests that “there may well be room for a deal.”

Earlier on Monday, Trump claimed that Iran has reached out and wants to “make a deal very badly”.

“We’ve been called by the other side and they want to make a deal very badly,” the US President said, adding, “We’ve been called this morning by the right people on Iran.”

He, however, clarified the US position on Iran’s nuclear ambitions remains unchanged.

“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. If they don’t agree, there’s no deal,” he added.

So far, White House officials have not confirmed another round of meetings but added “in-person negotiations” were being discussed.