A U.S. delegation will be in Pakistan on Monday for the next round of negotiations with Iran, President Donald Trump said on Sunday, warning of severe consequences if Tehran does not accept what he described as a “fair deal” to end the conflict.
In remarks posted on Truth Social, Trump said Iran’s recent moves in the Strait of Hormuz were counterproductive, arguing that U.S. naval actions had already effectively restricted access to the key waterway.
“Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it. They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day! The United States loses nothing,” he said.
In remarks that follow his expression of optimism on Saturday, Trump claimed Iran stood to lose significantly from the disruption, while the United States would remain largely unaffected.
Trump Says ‘Good Conversations’ Underway as Iran Reviews New Peace Proposals
In the post, the U.S. president noted in a post on Truth Social site that “Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement!”
“The United States loses nothing. In fact, many Ships are headed, right now, to the U.S., Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, to load up, compliments of the IRGC, always wanting to be “the tough guy!” 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. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!”
“They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years. IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!
Tensions have flared over the past 24 hours after Trump threatened that Washington would maintain its naval blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran agrees to a deal that includes renouncing its nuclear weapons program.
Iran responded by reimposing restrictions on transit shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route.
Despite reported progress in earlier discussions, major differences remain.
Washington has said it intends to remove Iran’s enriched uranium from nuclear sites damaged in U.S. strikes in June 2025, while Tehran has categorically rejected handing over its stockpile.
Both sides have publicly reiterated their positions, underscoring the narrow path forward in the negotiations in Islamabad.
Iran’s Position
Tehran has adopted a tough stance on issues, considered critical to the United States.
Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, who led the first round of talks — the first direct engagement between the two sides in 47 years — criticized the continued U.S. blockade.
Iran Says It Has Restored Hormuz Curbs Over US Port Blockade
“It is unacceptable for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz if we are unable to do so,” he said in a televised interview.
Qalibaf described the U.S. move as a “naive decision driven by ignorance” and signaled that significant gaps remain between the two sides, even as diplomatic efforts continue.
Another Test for Pakistan’s Diplomacy
Pakistan, which has taken on the role of mediator, now faces a renewed diplomatic challenge as tensions rise ahead of the second round of talks.
Islamabad’s approach hinges on maintaining a delicate balance — preserving trust with Tehran while engaging constructively with Washington. Pakistani officials have undertaken intensive diplomatic outreach in recent days, including visits to regional capitals such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, in an effort to build consensus and sustain momentum in the talks.
White House Affirms Islamabad as Likely Venue for Second Round of US-Iran Talks
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif traveled to Saudi Arabia, while Army Chief Asim Munir visited Tehran as part of these efforts.
Recent confidence-building measures raised cautious optimism. Trump announced an Israeli Lebanese ceasefire, addressing a key Iranian concern, while Tehran signaled it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic, a longstanding U.S. demand.
However, the latest exchange of warnings and retaliatory steps has complicated Pakistan’s mediation efforts, with both Washington and Tehran appearing to hold firm to their core positions, casting uncertainty over the prospects for a breakthrough.
Ali Imran is a Washington-based journalist, who has worked for leading world news organizations as correspondent, expert and in editorial positions. He is a published author and poet.
