Tehran denies sending its delegation to negotiate. Trump may arrive in Islamabad
The United States has expressed confidence that peace talks with Iran will be held in Pakistan, and a senior Iranian official said Tehran is considering participating, but significant obstacles and uncertainty remain as the ceasefire draws to a close.
An Iranian official confirmed that Tehran is "positively considering" participation in the talks, a clear change in tone compared to previous statements that ruled out participation, but stressed that no decision has yet been made.
A Pakistani source involved in the discussions said there was momentum for the talks to resume on Wednesday, and that Trump could attend in person or remotely if an agreement is signed.
Trump said a few days ago that he might visit Islamabad to sign the deal if it is reached.
Trump rules out extending truce
Trump ruled out extending the ceasefire agreement with Iran if no agreement is reached, telling Bloomberg that extending the ceasefire for two weeks is "highly unlikely" if an agreement cannot be reached during this period, stressing that the blockade on Iranian ports "will continue until a final agreement is reached."
Trump told CBS News that if Iran does not respond to U.S. demands, "many bombs will explode," while the Wall Street Journal quoted a White House official as saying that Trump is unlikely to extend the ceasefire with Iran, which expires tomorrow.
Iran denies any negotiating delegation to Pakistan
On Tuesday morning, April 21, 2026, Iranian television denied that any official delegation had arrived in Pakistan to conduct a new round of negotiations with the American side.
Contrary to Pakistani reports confirming the arrival of an Iranian delegation, Tehran's state television said that "so far no delegation from Iran has gone to Islamabad, whether it is a major, primary or secondary delegation."
Pakistan has expressed great optimism about the success of the negotiations, while US media have predicted that Vice President J.D. Vance will arrive in Islamabad in the coming hours.
Tehran: We refuse to negotiate under threat
The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer KalYabaf, announced his country's refusal to negotiate under threat, and Qalibaf said on April 21, 2026, that Iran has been preparing for the past two weeks to unveil new cards on the battlefield.
He added that by imposing the blockade and violating the ceasefire, Trump wants to turn the negotiating table into a capitulation table.
In addition, the Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the US attack on the ship "Tosca" and the holding of its crew hostage, and described the US attack on the ship as "maritime piracy, a terrorist act and a violation of the ceasefire".
The Iranian Foreign Ministry warned of the dire consequences of the detention of the Tosca ship, stressing the need to release the ship and its crew, saying that Iran "will use all its capabilities to defend its interests, national security and the dignity of its people," and that the United States bears full responsibility for the deterioration of the situation in the region.