Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan broker failed Iran-US talks as Trump deadline looms
Foreign ministers of Türkiye, Egypt and Pakistan are working to broker talks between Iran and the US but have so far failed to produce results, American media reported Sunday. Trump has set Tuesday evening as a deadline, warning Iran would lose every power plant and major facility if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
The foreign ministers of Türkiye, Egypt, and Pakistan are working to broker talks between Iran and the US, but their efforts have so far failed to produce results, several American media outlets reported Sunday. The three countries' foreign ministers held separate phone calls with both Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff over the weekend, but no breakthrough was achieved, the Wall Street Journal and Axios reported.
Mediation efforts
Axios cited two sources involved in the negotiations, who said the talks are taking place through Pakistani, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators but also through text messages sent between Trump's advisers and Araghchi. Araghchi previously said contacts with the US do not constitute negotiations but are limited to the exchange of messages—directly or through regional intermediaries.
Iranian position
Iranian officials have refused to soften their demands and rejected a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a temporary ceasefire, according to the Journal. Araghchi said Tuesday that Iran is not seeking a ceasefire but a complete end to the war across the region. The mediators are attempting to agree on a package of confidence-building measures that could extend Trump's ultimatum and bring the parties closer to a direct meeting.
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Trump's deadline
Trump has set Tuesday evening in US time as a deadline, warning that Iran would lose every power plant and major facility in the country if the strait remained closed. The president posted "Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time" on Truth Social without elaboration, sparking speculation about a possible announcement.
Conflict context
The US and Israel have struck Iran since Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people according to Iranian authorities, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with strikes across the region while restricting movement through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting roughly 20 million barrels of daily oil traffic and rattling global markets.
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