US-Iran talks face uncertainty as blockade expands and tensions persist across Middle East

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is in Islamabad as Pakistan attempts to revive negotiations between Tehran and Washington. The United States is sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for what the White House describes as exploratory talks, with President Donald Trump signalling willingness to give diplomacy a chance. At the same time, pressure is intensifying. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the expansion of a US-backed blockade targeting Iranian-linked shipping worldwide, alongside the deployment of a third aircraft carrier group to the region. Washington says enforcement now applies globally, with vessels seized in the Indo-Pacific and monitoring extended to ships moving to or from Iranian territory. The talks in Islamabad differ from previous failed efforts, with Vice President JD Vance remaining in Washington unless progress leads to more substantive negotiations alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #aljazeeraenglish #BreakingNews #aljazeeralivenews #aljazeeraenglish #palestine #newsfeed #news #aljazera #latestnews #gaza #israel #Iran #BreakingNews #news