US, Iran Restart Peace Talks Amid Blockade

Islamabad hosted a renewed round of U.S.-Iran diplomacy on Friday , as U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Pakistan to restart negotiations with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Officials described the talks as focused on ending an eight-week conflict between the two countries, following an earlier round of discussions held in Islamabad.

The U.S. said it hoped the meeting would produce a constructive exchange that could move a peace deal forward. Araghchi’s participation comes as part of a wider tour that includes Pakistan, Russia, and Oman, which officials said is intended to explore a basis for reopening negotiations.

Both sides entered the talks with stated conditions. A central Iranian requirement for resuming negotiations is a permanent U.S.-Israeli commitment to stop attacks on Iran. Iran is also weighing a proposal to dilute its 400kg stockpile of highly enriched uranium, with the step framed as an exchange for the lifting of specific sanctions.

On the U.S. side, officials continued to demand verifiable assurances related to Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S. also called for Iran to lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime corridor for global energy and trade flows.

Military pressure remains part of the backdrop to the diplomacy. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States was not anxious for a deal. He also said 34 ships have been turned back as part of a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, and that a second aircraft carrier is expected to join the blockade next week.

Hegseth warned against further Iranian attempts to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the U.S. Navy would respond decisively. Separately, Iran has reportedly seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and attacked five others as it sought to enforce its own blockade.

For markets and governments beyond the region, the talks in Pakistan intersect with shipping security and sanctions policy. The negotiations combine nuclear-related demands, maritime access in the Strait of Hormuz, and competing blockades, all of which can affect commercial routing and risk assessments for global trade. Officials have not announced any agreement, and the outcome of the renewed discussions remains uncertain as both sides maintain public red lines.