21 April,2026 04:07 PM IST | Washington | mid-day online correspondent
Security personnel stand guard in Islamabad on Tuesday, ahead of the anticipated US-Iran peace talks. PIC/AFP
The fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States (US) and Iran is set to expire on Wednesday evening, raising uncertainty over fresh negotiations and the future of the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump indicated that an extension of the truce was "highly unlikely".
When asked whether strikes could resume immediately if no agreement is reached, Trump said, "If there's no deal, I would certainly expect," news agency IANS reported.
The remarks came amid reports that Washington was trying to keep diplomatic channels open. US Vice-President JD Vance, who led the first round of direct talks, is expected to leave for Islamabad by Tuesday for further discussions, Axios reported, citing US sources.
Signalling conditional openness to engagement, Trump told The Washington Post that he would be willing to meet senior Iranian leaders if a breakthrough is achieved. In a separate interview with Bloomberg, he said his personal presence at the talks may not be necessary.
However, signals from Tehran remained mixed. Axios reported that the Iranian team received clearance from the supreme leader on Monday night to engage in talks with the United States, though officials stopped short of confirming participation, Xinhua reported.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said earlier on Monday that Iran currently has no plans for a second round of talks and that US actions do not indicate seriousness towards a diplomatic process.
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the US "provocative actions" and "ceasefire violations" were major hurdles to continuing peace negotiations between the two countries.
Speaking anonymously to The Washington Post, a senior Iranian official said the tone of Trump's public remarks and the ongoing US blockade were the two biggest issues threatening talks. The official added that while both sides had broadly agreed on the framework of a deal, Trump's public "maximalism" risked derailing diplomatic progress.
Tensions also remained high in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which around one-fifth of global oil trade passes. Iran briefly reopened the strait after the initial ceasefire, but imposed fresh restrictions after the US Navy seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that allegedly tried to breach the blockade over the weekend.
Trump said in a phone interview that the Strait of Hormuz would remain blocked until a peace agreement is finalised.
"They want me to open it. The Iranians desperately want it opened. I'm not opening it until a deal is signed," he said.
Despite the maritime standoff, there were some signs of normalcy returning in Iran. Iran's Civil Aviation Authority said on Monday that Tehran's main airports - Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport - had reopened for passenger flights after weeks of wartime closures, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
The original ceasefire had been seen as a rare de-escalation after more than seven weeks of conflict. The first round of talks in Islamabad earlier this month ended without a breakthrough, with both sides exchanging public criticism since then.
(With IANS inputs)
