Delegations from the United States and Iran are heading to the mediator, Pakistan, ahead of restarting end-of-war talks. But the Iranian government flatly said there are no plans for talks between the two countries, while the U.S. government moved to block Iran's oil exports and freeze cryptocurrency accounts. As the two sides send conflicting messages and a dark cloud hangs over the process, some expect that the delegations could make contact in Pakistan as early as this weekend.
On the 24th (local time), according to the New York Times (NYT), two senior Iranian officials familiar with the status of U.S.-Iran talks said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was headed to Islamabad, Pakistan, carrying a written response to a U.S.-proposed peace plan.
Araghchi is now in Islamabad, Pakistan. The people, who requested anonymity, said Araghchi plans to meet "this weekend" in Pakistan with Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the eldest son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, to continue end-of-war negotiations with the United States.
The Washington Post (WP) also reported that talks will resume this weekend. According to the WP, a U.S. official said they received "confirmation" from Iran regarding the resumption of the talks, adding, "Otherwise, they (Envoy Witkoff, Kushner and others) would not have gone to Pakistan."
Earlier, the White House said it planned to send Envoy Witkoff and Kushner to Pakistan. The White House said of the negotiating team's trip to Pakistan, "We expect positive progress." President Trump also hinted at progress, saying "Iran will put forward a proposal."
However, the Iranian government's official stance is different. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on the social platform X that "talks between Iran and the United States are not planned," denying reports of an end-of-war meeting. He added, "Minister Araghchi visited Islamabad to meet with Pakistan's senior leaders," saying this is "part of cooperating with Pakistan's ongoing efforts to end the U.S.-led war and restore regional stability."
Baghaei, the spokesperson, added, "Iran's position on negotiations with the United States will be conveyed to the Pakistani side." While denying direct talks, the comment leaves open the possibility of indirect communication through a third country.
The struggle for leverage over the talks is the same on the U.S. side. The Treasury Department and State Department said they would sanction China's refining giant Hengli Group, which imports oil from Iran. According to the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Hengli Group is one of the "largest customers," purchasing Iranian oil worth billions of dollars.
In particular, about 40 shipping companies and vessels that operate a "shadow fleet" transporting Iranian oil to evade U.S. sanctions were also targeted. The Treasury said it would freeze their assets in the United States and block property interests. In addition, it froze cryptocurrency valued at $344 million (about 500 billion won) believed to be linked to Iran. Blocking oil exports and freezing cryptocurrency accounts is seen as a move to draw Iran to the negotiating table while pressuring it to accept as many U.S. demands as possible.
Meanwhile, as the standoff between the two countries drags on, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains paralyzed. On the 24th (local time), Reuters reported that only five ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours. With Iran's vessel seizures and the U.S. maritime blockade continuing, military tensions between the two countries around the Strait of Hormuz have not eased.