WASHINGTON: Islamabad has emerged as the frontrunner to host the next round of technical negotiations between the United States and Iran, diplomatic sources told, as both sides seek to maintain momentum in efforts to resolve longstanding disputes.
Diplomatic sources said two venues are under consideration for the upcoming talks — Islamabad and Switzerland’s Burgenstock resort — with Pakistan’s capital considered the more likely choice. The technical-level negotiations are expected to take place on July 11, although a final decision on the venue has yet to be announced.
The discussions are expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief and the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad. Negotiators are also likely to address regional security issues, including preserving stability in the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining the recently agreed ceasefire in Lebanon.
According to diplomatic sources, the July 11 meeting is intended to advance the framework established under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed two weeks ago, which gave Washington and Tehran 60 days to negotiate a comprehensive agreement covering Iran’s nuclear programme and related issues.
The negotiations were temporarily delayed because of the multi-day state funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian officials said the composition of Tehran’s delegation would be announced after the funeral ceremonies conclude.
The latest diplomatic push follows indirect technical discussions held in Doha earlier this week. US President Donald Trump described those talks as “very good”, while Iranian officials claimed the two sides had reached an understanding on the partial release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets. US officials, however, disputed that any such agreement had been finalised.
Diplomatic sources said mediators from Qatar and Pakistan continued facilitating indirect contacts during the pause in negotiations. Those discussions focused on ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and preserving the 60-day ceasefire agreed during June negotiations in Switzerland.
The most recent high-level negotiations took place at Switzerland’s Burgenstock resort under the mediation of Qatar and Pakistan. Those talks produced what negotiators described as a roadmap for a broader agreement covering Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, maritime security and regional de-escalation.
Sources familiar with the talks said marathon negotiating sessions addressed nuclear restrictions, sanctions relief, security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Lebanon ceasefire. While negotiators reported progress, they cautioned that the process remained fragile amid persistent tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Officials familiar with the negotiations said the next round of high-level direct talks is expected to be held in Doha during the third week of July, after technical teams complete work on the details of a possible agreement.
US and Iran exchange fresh rhetoric
Meanwhile, Washington and Tehran traded sharp remarks during the funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Khamenei.
Speaking at an Independence Day event at Mount Rushmore, President Donald Trump mocked the funeral proceedings, saying the United States had “given Iran a week off for a funeral because we’re nice.”
“We beat Venezuela in one day, and we knocked the hell out of Iran. They are dying to settle; they want to settle so badly,” Trump said during a speech marking the beginning of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the United States, according to Al Jazeera. “We gave them a week off for a funeral because we are nice,” he added, claiming Tehran was “dying to settle.”
Iran’s foreign ministry rejected the remarks, saying Tehran would continue seeking justice against the United States and Israel, calling it “an enduring cause.” The ministry also said the attendance of high-level delegations from across the region and beyond at the farewell ceremonies reflected the stature of the late supreme leader and the standing of the Iranian people.
Separately, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy, Rear Admiral Ali Ozmaei, said “divine retribution” against the United States and Israel was “not far off,” according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
In a message, Ozmaei said he and IRGC personnel pledged to continue the path of the late supreme leader “with strength and steadfastness,” adding: “We have firm hope that divine retribution against the terrorist America and the illegitimate Zionist regime [Israel] is not far off.”
Warning over Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned against military activity by what he described as “extra-regional powers” in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that Tehran would hold those responsible for creating tensions “fully accountable.”
“The Strait of Hormuz is not a theatre for the military display of extra-regional powers,” Gharibabadi wrote on X, adding that Iran, as “the responsible power and guarantor” of the waterway’s security, viewed any military movement there with the utmost seriousness.
In another development, Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf responded to President Trump’s recent remarks about Iran’s food situation.
During an interview with CNBC, Trump repeated his claim that Iran would purchase agricultural products from the United States as part of any future peace agreement, a claim Tehran has consistently denied.
Responding on X, Ghalibaf dismissed Trump’s comments, writing: “Imagine having 40-something million of your own citizens on food stamps and calling another nation hungry.”
Speaking during a meeting with Uzbekistan’s parliamentary speaker, Ghalibaf said Washington must recognise that “realities have changed” following the recent Israeli-US war against Iran. According to Al Jazeera, he said conditions had improved compared to the past and that post-war developments had compelled Washington to accept “existing realities.”
He added that, in such an environment, trade relations could be expanded further and expressed hope that conditions would eventually support the lifting of sanctions.
Ghalibaf also said that joint management of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz by Iran and Oman, combined with a reduction in what he described as “American mischief” in the region, would create better prospects for regional transit cooperation.