Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on April 19 that talks with the United States have made ‘progress’ toward a permanent end to the conflict that began with actions by Israel and the US, but he cautioned that significant differences remain. Speaking on television, Ghalibaf said negotiators were still ‘far from the final discussion’ and that a small number of core issues — where both sides have clear red lines — are unresolved. One major sticking point is Tehran’s nuclear program: the US is insisting Iran hand over all of its nuclear material, a demand Iran has so far resisted.
The temporary ceasefire arranged on April 8 between the US and Iran is due to expire on Wednesday unless extended, and mediators have been racing to secure more time. US President Donald Trump said there had been ‘very good conversations’ but warned Iran not to try to ‘blackmail’ the United States. Previous negotiating rounds held in Pakistan, led by US Vice President JD Vance and Ghalibaf, ended without a final agreement after lengthy talks.
Regional tensions continue to flare. Iran briefly reopened the Strait of Hormuz but reimposed a blockade a day later, saying it will keep the waterway closed until US blockades of Iranian ports and coastal areas are lifted. Maritime security monitors and the UN’s maritime agency report repeated attacks on commercial vessels in recent weeks. Analysts say Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy uses a ‘mosquito fleet’ — fast boats, drones, missiles, torpedoes and sea mines — capable of harassing tankers and disrupting shipping.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, allied with Tehran within the so-called Axis of Resistance, threatened to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Houthi official Hussein al-Ezzi warned that if Sanaa decides to close the strait, opening it again would be impossible for humankind and jinn. To date the Houthis have launched operations in support of Iran against Israel but have largely restrained attacks on regional shipping routes.
The conflict’s local effects are visible in Israel and Lebanon. In northern Israel, residents of Kiryat Shmona staged a strike, closing schools and municipal offices to protest a ceasefire with Hezbollah, accusing the government of abandoning northern communities and demanding Hezbollah be fully disarmed and that better rocket protections be provided.
In southern Lebanon the Lebanese army said it had reopened a road and partially restored bridges damaged by Israeli strikes as a 10-day ceasefire held. Israel reported one soldier killed in fighting in southern Lebanon, bringing its military death toll in that theatre to 15 since the ground offensive began.
Diplomats are working to convert the negotiation momentum into a lasting deal, but leaders on all sides emphasize that the remaining gaps are substantial. With the ceasefire’s expiration looming and core disagreements unresolved, the risk of renewed escalation remains high.