Struggling to end the war Unclear situation in negotiations over Iran conflict
Difficult diplomatic talks are looming in Pakistan in the struggle to end the Iran war. The White House has announced that US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Islamabad for negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Pakistani capital on Friday. However, the Tasnim news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guards, Iran's elite military force, immediately rejected reports of negotiations.
25.04.2026, 02:31
25.04.2026, 09:57
SDA
Tasnim also described an alleged request by Iran for a personal meeting, which US government spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt spoke of, as false. It therefore remains unclear whether the parties to the conflict are negotiating directly or merely exchanging messages via Pakistani mediators.
Mixed signals from Tehran
Foreign Minister Araghchi emphasized on Platform X that he only wanted to coordinate with Pakistani partners. Pakistani security circles reported that the Iranian chief diplomat was planning to discuss a counter-proposal for the negotiations with the USA. According to Tasnim, the foreign minister wants to present Iran's position on ending the war.
However, experts suspect that the minister does not have the necessary room for maneuver. It is suspected that the influential Revolutionary Guards play a decisive role in determining the line of negotiation in Tehran. According to many Iran experts, they are currently calling the shots in Tehran.
Blocked sea routes and nuclear dispute
The central points of contention in the ongoing conflict remain Iran's nuclear program and the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz.
* Nuclear program: The USA is demanding a guarantee that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons. However, Tehran is sticking to its uranium enrichment program. The West is particularly critical of the stockpiles of around 440 kilograms of uranium, which has been enriched to 60 percent and could be used to build several nuclear weapons if further processed.
* Strait of Hormuz: Due to Iranian attacks and a US naval blockade, shipping traffic in the strategically important strait is almost completely at a standstill. The USA demands free passage without tariffs; Iran insists on control of the waterway, which serves as a transportation route for large parts of the global oil and gas trade.
* Finance: Tehran demands the release of frozen assets abroad as a precondition.
Leavitt: Vance remains in USA, but could follow
According to CNN, US Vice President JD Vance is not traveling to Pakistan because Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf is not attending the talks. Ghalibaf is seen in the White House as the head of the Iranian delegation and thus as Vance's counterpart, it was reported.
As far as she knows, Vance is prepared to travel to Pakistan if the US comes to the conclusion that this is not a waste of time for him, Leavitt said. Just like President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he will wait in the USA for new information from the US delegation.
On Tuesday, Trump had unilaterally extended the ceasefire with Iran without a clear end. Shortly before this, Iran had rejected participation in further negotiations in Pakistan. Iran's neighboring country is mediating in the conflict. Negotiators from the conflicting parties had met in Islamabad for a first round of talks, which ended without result.
Pistorius has minesweepers deployed to the Mediterranean
In preparation for a possible operation in the Strait of Hormuz, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced that German naval units would be mobilized. "We will deploy a minesweeper to the Mediterranean and provide it with a command and supply ship," the SPD politician told the Rheinische Post newspaper. He did not say when exactly they would set off.
Pistorius emphasized that the prerequisite for a deployment was first and foremost an end to hostilities in the war between the USA and Israel with Iran. He also pointed out that such a mission would only be possible with a mandate from the Bundestag. "In order to save time, we have decided to deploy some of the German units to the Mediterranean at an early stage so that we don't lose any more time once the mandate has been decided."
Merz wants to make Iran a tempting offer
Under the pressure of massively increased energy prices due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the EU is now also considering possible concessions to Iran. Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to consultations at a two-day informal EU summit in Cyprus with a proposal from the German government. It envisages the gradual easing of existing punitive measures against Iran if a comprehensive agreement can be reached with the country to unblock the strait.
"If a comprehensive agreement is to be reached, then we are also prepared to gradually ease the sanctions," Merz confirmed after the summit. According to the Chancellor, such an agreement would also have to guarantee an end to Iran's military nuclear program and an end to aggression against Israel and other neighbouring states.
