US and Iran consider new talks despite ongoing deadlock over nuclear demand

WASHINGTON, DC: The United States and Iran could hold a fresh round of in-person negotiations as early as this week, according to sources familiar with the discussions, signaling renewed diplomatic momentum despite recent setbacks.

According to a report by NBC News, the potential talks follow a weekend meeting in Islamabad led by Vice President JD Vance that failed to produce a breakthrough on ending the ongoing conflict.

Deadlock over nuclear programme

Key sticking points remain Iran’s nuclear activities and the fate of the Strait of Hormuz.

During the Islamabad talks, Washington reportedly pushed for a 20-year suspension of uranium enrichment, while Tehran countered with a shorter three-to-five-year pause, an offer President Donald Trump has deemed insufficient.

The US has also demanded that Iran remove its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, whereas Iran has proposed a monitored “down-blending” process to dilute the material instead.

Hormuz access emerges as critical issue

Reopening the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the free flow of global shipping remains a central issue in negotiations. The waterway is vital for international oil trade, and its status has heightened tensions between the two sides.

Even as diplomatic efforts continue, US forces have imposed a blockade restricting ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports, a move Tehran has condemned as “piracy.”

Mixed signals from Washington

Despite the impasse, US officials say engagement with Iran is ongoing and progress toward a potential agreement continues.

Vance described the recent discussions as “good conversations,” but stressed that the next move lies with Tehran.

He reiterated Washington’s core demands, including removing enriched uranium from Iran and securing firm commitments that it will not develop nuclear weapons.

President Trump, meanwhile, struck a mixed tone, saying the US has been approached by “the right people” to make a deal, even as he suggested he was indifferent about Iran returning to negotiations.

Iran’s position and nuclear stockpile concerns

The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that Iran possesses nearly 1,000 pounds of highly enriched uranium, enough for multiple nuclear weapons.

Tehran, however, insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and maintains that its enriched uranium remains secured underground following US airstrikes on its facilities last year.

Despite rising friction, a fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran appears to be holding for now.

At the same time, parallel diplomatic efforts are underway elsewhere in the region, with Israel and Lebanon engaged in rare direct talks in Washington aimed at preventing another escalation that could derail broader peace efforts.