DW NewsUS President Donald Trump says the US Navy will block all ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, marking a major escalation after Iran peace talks in Pakistan ended without a deal. The announcement comes just hours after negotiations in Islamabad failed to produce an agreement between Washington and Tehran, raising fresh concerns about the future of the ceasefire and the risk of renewed conflict. US Vice President JD Vance said Iran refused to commit to abandoning its nuclear ambitions — a key US demand — while Iran’s foreign ministry signaled that talks could continue despite the deadlock. Pakistan, which hosted the negotiations, urged both sides to maintain the fragile ceasefire set to expire on April 22.
Reactions inside Iran point to deep mistrust toward Washington, highlighting the challenges facing any diplomatic breakthrough. DW News speaks to Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s former Ambassador to the United Nations, the United States and the United Kingdom, on: Why the talks failed in Islamabad Whether trust between the US and Iran can be rebuilt And how close the region is to renewed escalation
00:09 Trump announces Hormuz blockade
00:40 Iran peace talks collapse in Pakistan
00:45 JD Vance: US “red lines” unmet
01:15 Iran signals talks could continue
01:39 Pakistan urges ceasefire to hold
02:02 Reaction inside Iran
02:25 Ceasefire deadline approaches
02:37 Interview: Pakistan’s role in the talks
03:55 Why negotiations failed
06:28 Can the US and Iran rebuild trust?
07:36 Is a breakthrough still possible?
09:13 Risk of escalation if diplomacy fails
10:29 What happens next?
