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Iran Says No Date Set for Next Round of Negotiations With US
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 18, 2026
3 min readLast updated: April 18, 2026
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Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said on April 18 in Antalya that no date has been set for further Iran–U.S. negotiations, stressing that a mutually acceptable framework must first be agreed to avoid setting up talks destined to fail. Recent Islamabad talks were the highest‑level s
Iran Says No Date Set for Next US Talks, Calls for Framework Agreement
Iranian and US Negotiations: Current Status and Key Issues
By Tuvan Gumrukcu
Background of Recent Talks
ANTALYA, Turkey, April 18 (Reuters) - No date has been set for the next round of negotiations between Iran and the United States, Iran's deputy foreign minister said on Saturday, adding that a framework of understanding must be agreed first.
The highest-level U.S.-Iran talks since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ended in Islamabad without agreement last weekend.
Statements from US Officials
U.S. President Donald Trump has told Reuters there would probably be more direct talks this weekend, though some diplomats said that was unlikely given the logistics of convening in Islamabad, where the talks are expected to take place.
Iran's Position on Negotiations
Framework Agreement as a Prerequisite
"We are now focusing on finalising the framework of understanding between two sides. We don't want to enter into any negotiation or meeting which is doomed to fail and which can be a pretext for another round of escalation," Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters on the sidelines of a diplomacy forum in the southern Turkish province of Antalya.
Progress and Obstacles
"Until we agree the framework, we cannot set the date... There was significant progress made actually. But then the maximalist approach by the other side, trying to make Iran an exception from international law prevented us to reach an agreement," he said, referring to U.S. demands over Iran's nuclear programme.
"I have to be very crystal clear that Iran would not accept to be an exception from the international law. Anything that we are going to be committed will be within the international regulations and international law."
Strait of Hormuz and Ceasefire Developments
Iran's Response to Strait of Hormuz Reports
Asked about reports that Iran again closed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after its temporary reopening following a separate U.S.-brokered 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, Khatibzadeh said Iran had announced it would allow the safe passage of commercial vessels in line with the terms of the truce.
US Actions and Iranian Reactions
"The other side, the American side, tried to sabotage that by saying that it is open except for Iranians. So that was the reason we said that 'if you are going to violate the ceasefire terms and conditions, if Americans are not going to honour their words, there will be repercussions for them'," he said.
(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu. Writing by Huseyin Hayatsever. Editing by Mark Potter)
Key Takeaways
- •No date confirmed for next round of U.S.–Iran negotiations until a clear framework of understanding is agreed by both sides (lemonde.fr)
- •The Islamabad talks on April 11–12 were the highest‑level engagement since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, yet failed to produce a deal (english.aaj.tv)
- •Iran insists U.S. maximalist demands—seeking exceptions to international law especially concerning its nuclear program—undermined progress (lemonde.fr)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Iran says no date set for next round of negotiations with US
1Has a date been set for the next round of US-Iran negotiations?
No, Iran's deputy foreign minister said no date has been set until a framework of understanding is agreed.
2What is preventing progress in US-Iran negotiations?
Negotiations are stalled due to the need for an agreed framework and US demands that Iran says would make it an exception to international law.
3What is Iran's position on compliance with international law during negotiations?
Iran insists all commitments will be within international regulations and that it will not accept being an exception from international law.
4What recent actions has Iran taken regarding the Strait of Hormuz?
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz after reopening it post-ceasefire, citing US actions that violated ceasefire terms as the reason.
5Did high-level US-Iran talks recently occur?
Yes, the highest-level talks since 1979 took place in Islamabad but ended without agreement.
