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Late Monday, Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, announced that Tehran refuses to engage in negotiations with the United States “under the shadow of threats.” He emphasized that Iran is ready to “unveil new strategies on the battlefield” as a ceasefire deadline approaches, leaving the future of renewed discussions in uncertainty.
In a statement on X, Ghalibaf—who has been at the forefront of Iran’s recent negotiation efforts alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi—criticized President Donald Trump for attempting to turn diplomacy into “an instrument of surrender” through relentless pressure, including a U.S. naval blockade.
“By enforcing a siege and breaching the ceasefire, Trump aims to transform the negotiation table, in his own mind, into a table of surrender or to rationalize renewed aggression,” Ghalibaf stated. “We refuse to negotiate under the threat of force, and over the past two weeks, we have prepared to unveil new strategies on the battlefield.”
Ghalibaf’s comments highlighted a toughening stance in Tehran, only hours after conflicting reports earlier on Monday suggested that talks could potentially move forward, though by Monday night, this prospect was once again uncertain.
A senior official from Pakistan informed Reuters earlier on Monday that Islamabad had received a “positive signal” from Iran and was actively working to bring both parties to the negotiation table “either tomorrow or the day after,” as mediation efforts intensified with the impending deadline.
A senior Pakistani official told Reuters earlier Monday that Islamabad had received a “positive signal” from Iran and was working to bring both sides to talks “tomorrow or a day after,” as mediation efforts intensified ahead of the looming deadline.
But by Monday night, Iranian officials signaled the opposite. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said there was currently “no plan” for a new round of negotiations and warned Washington would face a “decisive response” if it continued what Tehran described as ceasefire violations, including the naval blockade.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian similarly accused the United States of sending “unconstructive and contradictory signals,” warning that Washington appears to be seeking Iran’s surrender — “something Iranians will never accept.”
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh added Monday that Tehran “will not accept anything beyond international law,” warning that time pressure will not force concessions.
Iranian political analyst Seyed Mohammad Marandi, speaking in remarks amplified by Iranian state-linked outlets, said there had been “no inclination in the past few hours” to proceed, advising U.S. Vice President JD Vance to “unpack his suitcases” and not travel to Islamabad under current conditions.
At the same time, reporting from Axios late Monday indicated the situation remained fluid, with U.S. officials waiting for a definitive signal from Tehran. According to sources cited by the outlet, Iranian negotiators have been stalling amid pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to hold a firmer line — insisting there be no talks without an end to the U.S. naval blockade.
The report added that the Iranian team had been waiting for a green light from the country’s supreme leader, which one source said came Monday night, though no public confirmation followed.
Axios further reported that Vice President JD Vance was expected to depart for Islamabad on Tuesday morning, with two sources saying he would leave then and a third suggesting he could depart late Monday night, alongside Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Earlier Monday, Trump said Vance was heading to Islamabad, though officials later clarified he remained in Washington at the time, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding whether or not talks will proceed.
The diplomatic uncertainty comes as the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran — announced by Trump on April 7 — is set to expire Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Trump made clear in remarks Monday, including in a phone interview with Bloomberg, that he is not inclined to extend the ceasefire without a deal. He said an extension is “highly unlikely,” while telling PBS News that if negotiations fail, “lots of bombs start going off.”
He also stressed Monday that he is “under no pressure whatsoever” to reach a deal, writing on Truth Social that he would not be rushed into an agreement that is “not as good as it could have been,” and warning Iran would face consequences “like they’ve never seen before” if it refuses to negotiate.
Tensions have also been inflamed by maritime incidents, including a U.S. interception of an Iranian-flagged vessel in the Sea of Oman on Sunday, which Tehran described as a violation of the ceasefire.
With both sides digging in and no clear confirmation that talks will proceed, the window for diplomacy appears to be narrowing rapidly as the ceasefire deadline approaches — raising the prospect that hostilities could resume within days if no agreement is reached, despite last-minute diplomatic movement.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.