Pakistani officials are working to arrange a new round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran before the ceasefire expires next week.
Speaking to The Associated Press, officials said they view the first round of talks last weekend as a process rather than a single effort.
Another report in CBS News noted that Pakistani officials are seeking to rebrand the continued engagement as the "Islamabad Process," rather than the "Islamabad Talks."
U.S. officials also confirmed to the AP confirmed that there are efforts taking place to arrange new conversations. The venue, timing and composition of all parties involved are still uncertain.
The main goal is reaching a framework before the ceasefire expires on April 22 to prevent a resumption of the war. In the first round of talks, the Trump administration proposed a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment to Iran to move towards a ceasefire, according to another report.
Axios detailed that Tehran signaled openness to the idea but for a shorter, "single digit" period. Despite the stalemate, Trump said Iranian leaders called him on Monday and they "would like to work a deal."
In this context, another report detailed that Iran is considering a short-term pause to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to avoid testing President Donald Trump's blockade and potentially undermine the fragile ceasefire.
The possibility could be tied to a desire to avoid an escalation as reports claim mediators are working to bring both sides back to the negotiating table, Bloomberg noted.
The outlet went on to claim that calculations could change and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Tehran's most belligerent faction, could seek to move through and show that the blockade can be challenger without consequences.
Saudi Arabia is also pressing the Trump administration to drop the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, now entering its second day, fearing it could lead to the disruption of other shipping routes, according to another report.
Concretely, officials said Tehran could retaliate to the move by closing Bab al-Mandeb, a key waterway in the Red Sea through which much of the country's remaining exports transit, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The outlet went on to detail that the country has been able to restore exports to pre-war levels by routing them through its pipeline to the Red Sea. However, Iran and its allies have threatened to block the region too if the war escalates.
