(Image source from: ITG)
Even though discussions for a US-Iran truce are facing challenges in Pakistan, President Donald Trump claimed that the US has more oil than the two biggest oil-producing countries combined, mentioning that many empty oil tankers are heading to the US. He also stated that the US is prepared to sell the best oil and gas in the world. "Numerous empty oil tankers, some of the largest globally, are currently on their way to the US to gather the best oil and gas around. We possess more oil than the next two largest oil nations put together - and it's of higher quality. We are ready for you. Fast turnaround! President DJT," President Trump wrote on Truth Social. His comments come as US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan have run into difficulties, creating a strong lack of trust between the two parties, which raises concerns about the effectiveness of the talks even before they start.
The US team, led by Vice President JD Vance and Jared Kushner, has been in Pakistan for over five hours and hasn’t yet started direct talks with Iranian officials. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his German counterpart that Iran is entering the negotiations without trust, making it harder to resolve the six-week conflict. With no direct communication between the US and Iran, a meeting that includes Pakistan as a mediator has been suggested, but only if certain conditions are met. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already spoken with US Vice President JD Vance. Reports reveal that Pakistani officials are having separate discussions with both the US and Iranian teams, including Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Araghchi.
As per Al Jazeera’s Islamabad office, Iran will only agree to a trilateral meeting once certain conditions are satisfied. These conditions include stopping Israeli attacks on Lebanon and establishing a truce in that area. Iranian state media Press TV says that the Iranian team is working with Hezbollah to determine the terms for talks with the US. Another important condition communicated to the US through Prime Minister Sharif involves the unfreezing of Iranian assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, according to Iranian sources. Other stipulations in Iran’s ceasefire initiative also address issues regarding the Strait of Hormuz, payment for war damages, and a wider ceasefire across the Middle East, as reported by Iranian state television. The White House has maintained a strong position, asserting that former President Donald Trump’s views have not changed. This includes the refusal to lift restrictions on Iranian assets, despite the demands from Iran.
