US-Iran Islamabad Talks Set as Navy Seizes Iranian Tanker

US President Donald Trump announced Sunday that a second round of US-Iran peace negotiations would take place in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday, as mediators work to extend a fragile two-week ceasefire that expires Wednesday. The announcement came as US forces seized an Iranian-flagged tanker called the Touska in the Gulf of Oman after blowing a hole in its engine room, with Trump claiming the vessel was attempting to breach a US naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iran's military headquarters confirmed the attack and pledged a response, while Iranian officials have questioned Washington's seriousness about diplomacy, saying there are "various indications that there is no seriousness on the US side in advancing politics." Despite Trump's claim that Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner had already departed for Islamabad, Reuters reported that Vance had not yet left for Pakistan, creating uncertainty about the delegation's timing. Trump signaled he was open to meeting Iranian leadership directly, stating "I have no problem meeting them," while also issuing stark warnings that Iran must accept a deal "the nice way or the hard way," threatening to destroy every power plant and bridge in Iran if negotiations fail. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf acknowledged that while "conclusions" had been reached on some issues, "we are far from a final agreement." The talks face significant obstacles including disputes over the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed at the war's outset and where shipping traffic has dropped 95 percent; Iran's uranium enrichment program, with Tehran insisting on its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty while the US demands zero enrichment; and the question of whether Israel's military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon fall under the ceasefire terms. Analysts say the gaps between both sides remain "insurmountable," with experts noting that the best-case scenario would likely be an extension of the ceasefire rather than a comprehensive deal. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated no appetite for a return to fighting, stating "War is in no one's interest," as thousands were killed during more than a month of hostilities, the majority in Iran.