US eyes potential second round of in-person talks with Iran as blockade takes hold

The United States and Iran are not done talking — but they're not close to a deal either, and the clock is ticking. 

A ceasefire between the two countries expires April 21st, and Trump administration officials are quietly working through details for a potential second round of in-person negotiations before that deadline hits. Possible locations include Geneva and Islamabad, where the two sides held a marathon 21-hour session this past Saturday — the most significant direct talks between the US and Iran in nearly five decades. That meeting ended without a breakthrough. 

Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said he put a "best and final" offer on the table before leaving Pakistan. Monday, he told Fox News the Iranians moved in the right direction — but not far enough. 

The core sticking point is Iran's nuclear program. The US is demanding Iran end all uranium enrichment, dismantle its major nuclear facilities — already badly damaged in US airstrikes last June — and hand over more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried underground. Iran proposed a five-year pause in enrichment. The US countered with 20 years. Neither side has budged. 

Adding new pressure to the situation, the United States began a naval blockade of Iranian ports Monday morning. The move is designed to cut off Iran's oil revenue and force Tehran back to the table on American terms — but it comes with risks. The US Navy is now operating in contested waters, facing Iranian speedboats, drones, and mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively kept closed since the war began. 

Energy analysts warn the blockade could push already high gas prices even higher, since Iranian oil exports — however limited — will now be completely cut off. 

Iran's foreign minister said the Islamabad talks were going well until the final moments, when he says the US shifted its demands and announced the blockade. 

Trump said Monday that Iran called the White House and that they want a deal "very badly." His team says the ceasefire deadline could be extended if talks are progressing. 

For now, both sides say engagement is ongoing — but with a week left on the clock and major gaps still unresolved, the next few days may determine whether this war gets a diplomatic off-ramp or a dangerous new chapter.