US Negotiators Head to Pakistan for Iran Talks Amid Ceasefire Concerns US President Donald Trump announced that American negotiators, including Vice President JD Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, for talks with Iran on Monday. The announcement comes after Trump accused Iran of violating a ceasefire by firing on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and threatened severe consequences for Iranian infrastructure if a U.S. deal is not accepted. Iran, however, stated it is not ready for new talks, citing U.S. demands and denying any plans to ship enriched uranium to the U.S. The situation is further complicated by Iran's continued restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route, and ongoing mediation efforts to extend the expiring ceasefire. United States negotiators are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Monday for crucial discussions with Iran, as tensions escalate following an alleged ceasefire violation. Vice President JD Vance, alongside envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will represent the U.S. in Islamabad, according to an announcement from the White House. President Donald Trump, in a social media post on Sunday, directly accused Iran of breaching the ceasefire agreement by firing upon vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. He issued a stark warning, threatening to target Iran's civilian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, should the nation not accept the proposed deal from the United States. However, a senior Iranian official stated on Saturday that Iran is not currently prepared for new face-to-face talks with U.S. representatives, citing Washington's continued insistence on what they termed as maximalist demands on critical issues. In an interview with The Associated Press on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in Turkey, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh also categorically rejected President Trump's assertions regarding the handover of its enriched uranium. Khatibzadeh was unequivocal, stating, 'I can tell you that no enriched material is going to be shipped to United States.' He further emphasized, 'This is non-starter and I can assure you that while we are ready to address any concerns that we do have, we’re not going to accept things that are nonstarters.' This diplomatic impasse unfolds as Iran reaffirms its commitment to restricting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route, for as long as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports persists. Mediators are urgently attempting to broker an extension of the current ceasefire, which is set to expire on Wednesday. The ongoing dueling blockades have significantly complicated the Pakistani-led mediation efforts and cast doubt on the feasibility of extending the current two-week truce. Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf articulated Iran's stance in an interview broadcast on state television late Saturday, stating, 'It is impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot.' Qalibaf, who is also Iran's chief negotiator in discussions with the United States, characterized the U.S. blockade as a 'naive decision made out of ignorance.' Even prior to President Trump's latest pronouncements, Qalibaf indicated that Iran remained committed to pursuing peace, despite a profound lack of trust in the United States. He affirmed, 'There will be no retreat in the field of diplomacy,' while acknowledging the substantial divergence in positions between the two nations. The Strait of Hormuz had been slated for reopening following a 10-day truce that took hold on Friday between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. However, following President Trump's declaration that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports 'will remain in full force' until Tehran reaches an agreement with the United States, Iran announced its intention to continue enforcing its restrictions on the strait. Following a brief increase in transit attempts on Saturday, vessels in the Persian Gulf adopted a cautious stance, remaining in position after two India-flagged ships were fired upon mid-transit and compelled to turn back. This retreat effectively returned the strait, a chokepoint for approximately one-fifth of global oil trade, to its pre-ceasefire status quo. This development heightens concerns about a deepening global energy crisis and risks pushing the parties toward renewed conflict as the war enters its eighth week. With mere days remaining before the expiration of the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, Iran revealed on Saturday that it had received new proposals from the United States. Pakistani mediators are actively working to orchestrate another round of direct negotiations in the upcoming days. Pakistani authorities have commenced enhanced security measures in the capital, Islamabad. A regional official involved in the mediation efforts confirmed that mediators are finalizing preparations and that U.S. advance security teams have already arrived on the ground. This official spoke on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to discuss the preparations with the media. For Iran, the closure of the strait, a measure implemented after the U.S. and Israel initiated hostilities on February 28 during deliberations concerning Tehran's nuclear program, represents its most potent leverage. It poses a significant threat to the global economy and inflicts political pressure on President Trump. Conversely, the U.S. blockade aims to further constrict Iran's already strained economy and pressure its government by curtailing its long-term revenue streams. Despite the ongoing ceasefire, the persistent standoff in the strait imperils the region's descent back into a conflict that has resulted in substantial casualties, including at least 3,000 lives lost in Iran, over 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and thirteen U.S. service members across the region have also been casualties. Reports from the Revolutionary Guard indicated that gunboats opened fire on a tanker, and a projectile struck a container vessel, causing damage to several containers, according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.