US-IRAN ENGAGEMENT CONTINUES, POSSIBILITY OF NEW FACE-TO-FACE TALKS ON THE 16TH

BlockBeats News, April 14th, both CBS and NBC News cited a US official as saying that contact between the US and Iran is still ongoing and "progress is being made towards reaching an agreement."

CNN cited sources as saying that US government officials are discussing internally the details of holding a second face-to-face meeting between the US and Iran before the temporary ceasefire agreement expires. Whether the meeting will take place depends on whether there is progress in exchange of views in the coming days, and officials are discussing potential meeting dates and locations.

The report also said that a "regional source" revealed that before finalizing Islamabad, Pakistan as the location for the last round of negotiations, several alternative locations were proposed, including Geneva, Switzerland, Vienna, Austria, and Istanbul, Turkey. Currently, Geneva and Islamabad are back in consideration. According to sources, depending on the progress of exchanges between the parties in the coming days, the US and Iran may also extend the two-week ceasefire deadline to allow more time for negotiations.

According to TASS, on the 13th, citing a message from an American journalist for The Atlantic on social media, the next round of "direct talks" between the US and Iran could take place in Islamabad on the 16th.