Major diplomatic push is underway to hold the next round of the US and Iran peace talks in Islamabad
By TRH World Desk
New Delhi, April 16, 2026 — The US and Pakistan are likely to hold talks once more in Pakistan amid a major diplomatic push at multiple levels. The US and Iran are likely to talk to each other to salvage a deal even while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains defiant.
The uranium enrichment is stated to be the key thorn in reaching an agreement. Netanyahu in a video message stated that Israel will not allow Iran to carry out uranium enrichment. Iranian commentators on the other hand reiterated that uranium enrichment issue is non-negotiable.
The US-led naval blockade of the Hormuz Strait is also cited as a new factor in the back-channel negotiations. The US-based commentators claim that Washington now has a leverage to pressure Tehran for a deal.
Speaking to Al Arabiya English, former Trump state campaign chair Rob Arlett said the renewed engagement reflects urgency on both sides. “I think what this is telling us, quite simply, that both sides feel the pressure to come to a deal,” he noted, pointing to parallel strategic compulsions in Washington and Tehran.
Arlett emphasized that the administration of Donald Trump is keen to translate recent military leverage into diplomatic gains, while Iran’s leadership is under mounting economic strain. “Both do not want this war to get dragged out long term,” he said, underlining a shared incentive to avoid prolonged conflict.
Iran earlier had an upper hand with the leverage over the Hormuz strait chokepoint. But now the US is seeking to pressure Tehran with the blockade. Trump in a Truth Social post also signalled with a direct message to China that the US will be an actor in the opening of the Hormuz strait.
On the other hand, CNN Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson said on air that Washington is massively leaning on Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir to deliver a deal. Munir arrived in Tehran yesterday. Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi received Munir at the airport. “Delighted to welcome Field Marshal Munir to Iran. Our commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region remains strong — and shared,’ said Araghchi in a post on X.
Trump is also stated to be under the pressure to exit the Iran War as the two-week ceasefire is now nearing its expiry. His ratings in the US have collapsed per multiple surveys by American television outlets. But Trump faced a major hurdle in convincing Netanyahu to come onboard for peace in the Middle East per geopolitics commentators.
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