The U.S. attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship it said had tried to evade its naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. It was the first interception since the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports began last week. Iran’s joint military command vowed to respond, throwing a fragile ceasefire into question days before it expires on Wednesday.
Iran on Monday offered a new death toll for the war, with its forensic chief saying at least 3,375 people had been killed in the conflict. The figure came from Abbas Masjedi, the head of Iran’s Legal Medicine Organization. Masjedi said only four of the dead remain unidentified.
President Donald Trump on Sunday said U.S. negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday for another of talks with Iran, but Iranian officials did not directly respond to his announcement.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi briefed Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghaddam Monday on arrangements for the upcoming Islamabad peace talks during a meeting in the capital.
A ministry statement said both stressed the need for a sustainable resolution through diplomatic channels to reduce regional tensions.
The meeting came hours after Naqvi briefed U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker at the U.S. Embassy on preparations for the talks.
Naqvi was part of a delegation led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir that visited Tehran last week to advance the peace process. It said the Iranian Ambassador appreciated Pakistan’s positive and constructive role in de-escalating tensions.
Iranian authorities have expressed willingness to send a delegation for a second round of talks in Islamabad this week, two Pakistani officials said Monday.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, said there is cautious optimism that delegations from both Iran and the United States could travel to Islamabad.
They added that Pakistan will not share details about either side’s travel plans due to security considerations.
They also urged media outlets to avoid speculation about the timing of the talks, saying the process remains fluid.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.