There is speculation that the U.S. and Iran negotiating teams could return to Pakistan later this week to resume talks.
Reuters reported this on the 14th, citing multiple sources. It came two days after peace talks held for two days from the 11th in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, collapsed.
A U.S. official told the AP that details had not been decided but that talks could resume on the 16th. An Iranian official also told Reuters that while the schedule for a second round was not set, the delegation was keeping its calendar open between the 17th and 19th.
A Pakistani source serving as mediator said it was also coordinating an additional round with both sides and that a weekend session was likely.
The earlier talks appeared close to an agreement on a basic framework, but they ultimately fell apart over differences regarding Iran's nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, and the size of frozen asset.
In particular, differences over the nuclear issue were decisive. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and the New York Times (NYT), the United States demanded a 20-year halt to uranium enrichment, while Iran countered with a halt of up to five years, and the two sides ultimately failed to find common ground.
A U.S. source told Reuters, "Iran did not fully understand that the core U.S. objective is a deal that ensures Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon."
The talks collapsed, but contacts themselves appear to be continuing. U.S. President Donald Trump said at the White House on the 13th local time, "Iran very strongly wants an agreement," but added, "An agreement without (Iran's) abandonment of nuclear arms is absolutely impossible."
Trump also confirmed that the key sticking point in the talks was the nuclear issue, saying, "We agreed on many things, but they did not agree on the nuclear part. I am almost certain they will eventually agree."
Reuters noted, "There are many obstacles to peace, but both sides appear to have strong reasons to consider de-escalation." The reasons include that a war with Iran does not enjoy strong support in the United States and that the likelihood of actually toppling the Iranian system is seen as low.
Reuters also analyzed that Iran's pressure on energy supplies using the Strait of Hormuz is prompting the United States to actively engage in talks.