Negotiators from the United States are arriving in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, for a second round of talks with Iran aimed at extending a two-week ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday. The diplomatic efforts come amid heightened military tensions in the region.

The negotiations unfold against a backdrop of sharp military escalation, following the US Navy's interception and capture of the Iranian-flagged container ship Touska in the Gulf of Oman. Tehran has labeled the seizure "piracy" and expressed uncertainty about its participation in the sessions while the naval blockade persists, casting doubt on the talks' viability.

US President Donald Trump has reportedly threatened to destroy Iran and target its power plants and civilian infrastructure if a deal is not reached, raising concerns about further conflict. The current diplomatic track predates the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran, which began on February 28, complicating the negotiation landscape.

Just weeks before the war, Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was engaged in indirect negotiations with Washington, mediated by Oman. Born in 1958, Larijani was viewed as a pragmatic figure within the Iranian establishment—a mathematician and philosopher who served as the country's chief nuclear negotiator. He was killed in an Israeli air attack in early March, removing one of Tehran's most experienced strategic minds from the diplomatic equation and potentially hindering progress.

As the Wednesday deadline approaches, the prospect of a lasting agreement remains deeply uncertain. Millions of people in the Gulf and beyond are closely watching the talks, fearing that failure to reach a peace deal could lead to further escalation and directly impact their daily lives through prolonged conflict.

Source: www.aljazeera.com