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White House officials, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are scheduled to depart for Pakistan on Saturday to attempt to restart stalled peace negotiations.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth signalled that an “open window” remains for Iran to secure a favourable agreement, provided the nation agrees to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions through verifiable means.
While the U.S. side expressed hope for progress this weekend, the diplomatic landscape remains fraught with tension.
Tehran has publicly downplayed the prospect of a direct encounter, with an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson stating that there are no current plans for officials to meet with the American delegation.
Instead, Iran intends to convey its concerns through Pakistani mediators.
Despite this public stance, President Trump suggested that Iran is preparing an offer to address U.S. demands, though the specific details of such a proposal remain unknown as the conflict enters its ninth week.
The high-stakes diplomacy comes as global energy markets suffer from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping traffic has plummeted from 130 vessels a day to just five.
While regional ceasefires in Lebanon and Israel have been extended, ongoing violence continues to complicate the path toward a broader resolution.
With Brent crude prices surging 16% this week, international observers are closely watching Islamabad for any sign that the costly impasse might finally be nearing an end.
