TEHRAN (Realist English). Iran has threatened retaliation after the US Navy fired on and seized an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, Tehran intends to “respond once the safety of the families and crew of the vessel is ensured.” The incident occurred on April 19, when the destroyer USS Spruance fired several rounds at the engine room of the Iranian vessel before taking it under control.
The seizure has cast doubt on a second round of talks between the United States and Iran planned for this week in Pakistan. On April 20, senior US officials are scheduled to fly to Islamabad. However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has stated that there are no plans for talks. The ceasefire, which both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating, expires on April 22.
The talks, if they do take place, face key sticking points: control over Iran’s uranium stockpiles and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, where global energy supplies have been disrupted for weeks.
Vance, Witkoff and Kushner heading to Pakistan for second round of Iran talks
The US delegation is expected to be led by Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner — Trump’s son‑in‑law and former Middle East adviser. Iranian sources told CNN that a Tehran delegation was also supposed to travel to Pakistan, but state media later cast doubt on Iran’s participation in a second round of talks. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that “as of now” Tehran has “no plans for the next round of negotiations.”
Composition of the US delegation
JD Vance, the US Vice President, according to a senior administration official, played a key role in securing the current two‑week ceasefire between the US and Iran, as well as the recent ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. It was previously reported that Iranian representatives preferred to engage with Vance over other US officials.
Steve Witkoff is a wealthy real estate developer and a decades‑long friend of Trump. Alongside Kushner, he helped negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza and has also sat down for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine.
Jared Kushner, husband of Trump’s daughter Ivanka, served as a chief Middle East negotiator in Trump’s first term and built deep relationships with regional leaders.
What the sides are saying
In a lengthy Truth Social post on April 19, Trump said a US delegation was heading to Islamabad. “We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” the president warned.
Iranian sources familiar with the talks told CNN that an Iranian delegation was expected to arrive in Islamabad on April 21, and that the team was expected to be the same as in the previous round. However, Iranian state media said Iran’s presence in Islamabad was not confirmed, and some outlets linked the possible second round to the lifting of the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on April 19, but official statements contained no hints about the date of the next round.
On the morning of April 20, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei said: “We have no plans for the next round of negotiations,” adding that “we do not believe in deadlines or ultimatums to secure Iran’s national interests.”
Pakistan prepares for possible talks
Meanwhile, the Pakistani capital is preparing for possible peace talks. The two main hotels in Islamabad’s “Red Zone” have been vacated of other guests in anticipation of the arrival of the delegations. Security has been tightened: police and military patrols have been deployed on the streets, and roads have been blocked off.
