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The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, declared this Tuesday that it is highly likely that negotiations between the U.S. and Iran will resume, as reported by the EFE agency.
The statement comes two days after the first round of talks in Islamabad ended without an agreement following 21 hours of negotiations.
The U.S. delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance, while Iran was represented by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abás Araqchí.
Vance was straightforward in announcing the failure: "They have chosen not to accept our terms.", he said, adding that the central question remains unanswered: "Do we see a fundamental commitment from the Iranians to not develop a nuclear weapon, not just now, not just in two years, but in the long term? We have not seen that yet."
The main obstacle is the Iranian nuclear program. The U.S. demands a moratorium of 20 years on uranium enrichment and the complete dismantling of the program, while Iran proposes a pause of only five years and claims the right to enrich uranium.
Iran also demands war reparations estimated at 270 billion dollars for civil damages and victims since the beginning of the conflict.
Despite the setback, a diplomatic mediator confirmed on Tuesday that Tehran and Washington "have already agreed to hold a new round of talks", possibly on Thursday, April 16 in Islamabad or Geneva.
The UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, described the discussions in Islamabad as a , while acknowledging the presence of "deeply rooted differences that hinder an immediate agreement".
Guterres also urged the restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law, and expressed gratitude for the mediating efforts of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey.
The UN special envoy, Jean Arnault, will travel to Pakistan this week to coordinate diplomatic efforts.
The context is one of extreme urgency: the two-week bilateral ceasefire mediated by Pakistan, announced on April 7, is set to expire around April 22.
The conflict escalated starting on February 28, when the U.S. launched Operation Epic Fury, which destroyed 90% of Iranian missiles and 95% of Iranian drones. Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz on March 4 with mines, drones, and missiles, blocking 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas and causing the price of Brent crude to soar from $67 to over $126 per barrel.
Trump described the conversations in Islamabad as "a good meeting, except for the nuclear weapons", and confirmed on Monday that Iran contacted him to move forward with a new round.
Diplomatic sources indicated that the second round "could lead to progress if both sides agree to resolve their differences", in a process that, according to the same sources, is progressing positively.
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