By Sandy Fitzgerald | Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 10:24 a.m. EDT
President Donald Trump signaled on Wednesday that a second round of U.S.-Iran negotiations could begin as early as Friday, according to Pakistani officials who noted ongoing mediation efforts aimed at restarting talks.
Sources in Islamabad reported that positive diplomatic engagement with Tehran might yield “good news” within the next 36 to 72 hours. When asked about potential breakthroughs, Trump texted a newspaper: “It’s possible! President DJT.”
The development comes as Trump is giving Iran’s warring factions a short window to unify behind a coherent counteroffer or risk the collapse of the ceasefire he extended Tuesday, U.S. officials familiar with the matter said. U.S. negotiators believe a deal to end the conflict and address Iran’s remaining nuclear program remains achievable, but officials have growing concerns about whether any Iranian entity has the authority to commit to terms.
“We saw that there is an absolute fracture inside Iran between the negotiators and the military — with neither side having access to the supreme leader, who is not responsive,” a U.S. official said.
U.S. officials first identified these divisions during initial talks in Islamabad, when it became clear that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Gen. Ahmad Vahidi and his deputies rejected key elements discussed by Iran’s civilian negotiators. The internal split became public last week when Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, only for IRGC leaders to refuse implementation and publicly criticize him.
In recent days, Iran has offered no substantive response to U.S. proposals and declined to commit to a second round of talks in Pakistan. The fractures have been compounded by leadership instability following the assassination of former security council chief Ali Larijani, who played a central role in coordinating Iran’s decision-making. His successor, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, has struggled to bridge gaps between military, civilian leaders, and the supreme leader, according to one official.
Vice President JD Vance had prepared to travel to Islamabad to lead the next round of talks but the trip was canceled after Iranian officials failed to confirm participation. Air Force Two remained on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews for hours before being stood down, while White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner redirected their travel plans to Washington.
Trump ultimately chose to extend the ceasefire rather than escalate militarily following consultations with his national security team, including Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine. “The degree of the fracture became clear in the last few days, and the question was: does it make any sense to go to Islamabad like that?” a U.S. official said. “So the decision was to give the diplomatic efforts a little bit more time.”
U.S. officials and allies say Trump is increasingly inclined to wind down the conflict after achieving key military objectives, though renewed strikes remain possible if diplomacy fails. One U.S. source close to Trump stated that it “certainly looks like Trump doesn’t want to use military force anymore and has made a decision to end the war.”
The update follows Trump’s public announcement Tuesday that he would extend the current ceasefire while awaiting a unified response from Iran’s leadership. “I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other,” he stated in a post on Truth Social.
In another Truth Social post late Tuesday, Trump described mounting economic pressure on Iran: “Iran is collapsing financially! They want the Strait of Hormuz opened immediately—Starving for cash! Losing $500 million a day. Military and Police complaining that they are not getting paid. SOS!!!” He also emphasized the blockade as key leverage: “Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed, they want it open so they can make $500 million a day,” he wrote. “They only say they want it closed because I have it totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!), so they merely want to save face.”
Pakistani officials have continued backchannel engagement with Iranian counterparts as part of an intensified push to secure a second round of talks, according to a source familiar with the effort. “The ceasefire is holding despite heightened rhetoric, indicating positive intent on both sides,” the source said. “No military escalation from either side.” “Pakistan remains the key mediator,” the person added, noting Islamabad is maintaining contact with both sides as it works to bring them back to negotiations.
