Read the full article on KETV 7
American and Iranian delegations will attend a second round of peace talks as early as Wednesday. The Associated Press reports Pakistan-led mediators confirmed the meeting. However, neither government has confirmed their attendance.Multiple news outlets are reporting a U.S. delegation is preparing to leave for Pakistan on Tuesday to continue negotiations with Iran as the ceasefire agreement between the two nations is set to expire at 8 p.m. ET.Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will represent the U.S. This follows a day of confusing and at-times conflicting messages from the White House. Trump told the New York Post on Monday that the vice president was on his way to Pakistan for the talks, but his motorcade was later spotted at the White House.Will Iran participate in peace talks? It remains unclear whether Iran will participate in the second round of talks. Iranian state TV reported on Tuesday that no delegation has left for Pakistan.Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated the country would “not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield.” Ghalibaf’s statement seemingly referred to the U.S. military seizing an Iranian container ship on Sunday. U.S. Central Command shared photos of forces searching the ship, called the Touska, on Monday and reported the U.S. military blockade of ships going to or coming from Iranian ports has so far stopped 27 vessels since it began on April 13.Iran’s military headquarters stated that the U.S. action marks a violation of the ceasefire agreement.What happens if the ceasefire expires without a deal?In an interview with PBS News on Monday, Trump said if the agreement ends Tuesday without a deal, “then lots of bombs start going off.” He also told Bloomberg that he is “highly unlikely” to extend the ceasefire again. On Sunday, Trump renewed his threats to “knock out every single Power Plant, and every Bridge, in Iran,” if the war resumes. The president first said he was going to do this one month ago, and has extended the deadline several times, most recently when he agreed to the two-week ceasefire on April. He had planned to begin the targeted attacks that day at 8 p.m. Eastern time.Trump also told PBS that the U.S. is negotiating to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. However, with the ongoing uncertainty and back-and-forth, it is unclear whether the U.S. delegation can achieve that goal in a short amount of time.Shifting war timelineTuesday marks the latest date Trump predicted the war would end. Originally, the president said the war, which started Feb. 28, would last four to six weeks, which would have put the war ending by April 11. He extended that deadline “two weeks maybe, two weeks, maybe three” on March 31.Throughout the seven-and-a-half-week war, Trump has delivered mixed messages about the path forward. On social media Monday, he denied claims that he is under pressure to make a deal. Trump wrote, “I read the Fake News saying that I am under “pressure” to make a Deal. THIS IS NOT TRUE! I am under no pressure whatsoever, although, it will all happen, relatively quickly! Time is not my adversary.”Trump and cabinet argue over gas pricesThere are public disagreements between top members of the Trump administration about high gas prices, caused by the war.On Sunday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said gas prices have already peaked and that they could fall under $3 a gallon in the next few months.Trump undermined Wright’s statement on Monday, telling The Hill about Wright, “No, I think he’s wrong on that. Totally wrong.” Trump said instead gas prices will drop as soon as the war ends. Analysts suggest it will take gas prices much longer to go down compared to how quickly they shot up. AAA reports the national average for a gallon of regular gas on Tuesday was $4.02, more than a dollar higher than the $2.98 average the day the war started.Last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested $3 per gallon gasoline will return sometime over the summer.Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:
American and Iranian delegations will attend a second round of peace talks as early as Wednesday. The Associated Press reports Pakistan-led mediators confirmed the meeting. However, neither government has confirmed their attendance.
Multiple news outlets are reporting a U.S. delegation is preparing to leave for Pakistan on Tuesday to continue negotiations with Iran as the ceasefire agreement between the two nations is set to expire at 8 p.m. ET.
Advertisement
Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will represent the U.S.
This follows a day of confusing and at-times conflicting messages from the White House.
Trump told the New York Post on Monday that the vice president was on his way to Pakistan for the talks, but his motorcade was later spotted at the White House.
Will Iran participate in peace talks?
It remains unclear whether Iran will participate in the second round of talks. Iranian state TV reported on Tuesday that no delegation has left for Pakistan.
Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated the country would “not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”
Ghalibaf’s statement seemingly referred to the U.S. military seizing an Iranian container ship on Sunday. U.S. Central Command shared photos of forces searching the ship, called the Touska, on Monday and reported the U.S. military blockade of ships going to or coming from Iranian ports has so far stopped 27 vessels since it began on April 13.
Iran’s military headquarters stated that the U.S. action marks a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
What happens if the ceasefire expires without a deal?
In an interview with PBS News on Monday, Trump said if the agreement ends Tuesday without a deal, “then lots of bombs start going off.” He also told Bloomberg that he is “highly unlikely” to extend the ceasefire again.
On Sunday, Trump renewed his threats to “knock out every single Power Plant, and every Bridge, in Iran,” if the war resumes. The president first said he was going to do this one month ago, and has extended the deadline several times, most recently when he agreed to the two-week ceasefire on April. He had planned to begin the targeted attacks that day at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Trump also told PBS that the U.S. is negotiating to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. However, with the ongoing uncertainty and back-and-forth, it is unclear whether the U.S. delegation can achieve that goal in a short amount of time.
Shifting war timeline
Tuesday marks the latest date Trump predicted the war would end. Originally, the president said the war, which started Feb. 28, would last four to six weeks, which would have put the war ending by April 11. He extended that deadline “two weeks maybe, two weeks, maybe three” on March 31.
Throughout the seven-and-a-half-week war, Trump has delivered mixed messages about the path forward. On social media Monday, he denied claims that he is under pressure to make a deal. Trump wrote, “I read the Fake News saying that I am under “pressure” to make a Deal. THIS IS NOT TRUE! I am under no pressure whatsoever, although, it will all happen, relatively quickly! Time is not my adversary.”
Trump and cabinet argue over gas prices
There are public disagreements between top members of the Trump administration about high gas prices, caused by the war.
On Sunday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said gas prices have already peaked and that they could fall under $3 a gallon in the next few months.
Trump undermined Wright’s statement on Monday, telling The Hill about Wright, “No, I think he’s wrong on that. Totally wrong.” Trump said instead gas prices will drop as soon as the war ends.
Analysts suggest it will take gas prices much longer to go down compared to how quickly they shot up. AAA reports the national average for a gallon of regular gas on Tuesday was $4.02, more than a dollar higher than the $2.98 average the day the war started.
Last week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested $3 per gallon gasoline will return sometime over the summer.
Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:
