Second Round Of US-Iran Peace Talks Likely In Islamabad This Weekend: Report

Last Updated:April 17, 2026, 7:50 PM IST

Pakistan is mediating the negotiations, with behind-the-scenes support from Egypt and Turkey, according to the report.

Pakistan is now actively pushing what insiders describe as the “Islamabad peace deal.”(Image/AFP)

A second round of US-Iran peace talks is expected to take place in Pakistan this weekend, likely on Sunday, Axios reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the mediation efforts.

The discussions are expected to be held in Islamabad as part of ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two sides. Pakistan is mediating the negotiations, with behind-the-scenes support from Egypt and Turkey, according to the report.

Islamabad has been seeking to position itself as a key regional mediator after hosting high-level delegations from the United States and Iran for talks last weekend that ended without a breakthrough.

Axios also reported that Washington is considering releasing around $20 billion in frozen Iranian funds in return for Iran giving up its stockpile of enriched uranium.

ALSO READ: Strait Of Hormuz Now Fully Open: How Iran Used Global Oil Chokepoint To Pressure US

Meanwhile, Iran announced that it is reopening the Strait of Hormuzwhich had seen restrictions since the outbreak of war in February. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the strategic waterway will remain “completely open” for commercial shipping for as long as a ceasefire in the region holds.

“The passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire,” Araghchi said on X.

It was not immediately clear whether he was referring to the 10-day truce between Israel and Lebanon or an earlier US–Iran two-week ceasefire arrangement that began on April 8.

Shortly after Iran’s announcement, US President Donald Trump welcomed the movesaying the Strait of Hormuz would remain open during the ceasefire period.

“THANK YOU!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that the waterway was “FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE.”

However, in a follow-up post, the US president said the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place until a final peace deal is reached with Tehran, despite Iran’s announcement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

“The naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete,” Trump said on his Truth Social network, adding that “this process should go very quickly.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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