The next round of negotiations between the United States and Iran may take place in Islamabad as early as this weekend, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi on March 25.
Grossi told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that he believes the talks could occur this weekend in Pakistan. He also stated that the agenda of the meeting will be significantly expanded beyond nuclear energy issues and will include discussions on the causes of the Middle East conflict.
The IAEA director noted that the parties intend to address the Iranian missile program, the activities of militias allied to Tehran in the region, and the provision of security guarantees to the Islamic Republic.
The American administration is reportedly considering a partial agreement with Tehran as part of efforts to find a way out of the protracted conflict with Iran.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on March 23 that the United States would temporarily suspend strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure as part of negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Trump claimed that the two sides had held two days of fruitful talks to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly denied any contact with the U.S., stating that peace initiatives originate only from Middle Eastern states and that Trump’s remarks were an attempt to “buy time” for a military operation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagai asserted on March 25 that Tehran had not been negotiating with Washington over the past 25 days since the start of the military operation against the Islamic Republic.
