Trump, unexpected announcement: the US will sign an agreement with Iran in Pakistan “today”.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday, April 20, that an agreement with Iran will be signed “today” in Pakistan.
Donald Trump/PHOTO: EPA-EFE
According to Al Jazeera, the statements add to those in an earlier interview with the New York Post, in which he had said that Vice President JD Vance and the US delegation were on their way to Islamabad for negotiations.
The first round of negotiations, held recently in Islamabad, ended without a concrete agreement, and the prospects for a quick resolution remain uncertain. The conflict between the US, Iran and their allies escalated at the end of February, and the current ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday, April 22.
One of the main points of contention remains the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, essential for global oil transport.
Although Iran initially announced it would reopen the sea route, the decision was withdrawn after Trump said the naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place until a peace deal was signed.
Ahead of the resumption of negotiations, Pakistani authorities instituted heightened security measures in Islamabad and the neighboring city of Rawalpindi.
Access to several roads has been restricted, and barricades, barbed wire and checkpoints have been placed near the hotels where the talks are taking place.
