Egypt and 3 Other Nations Form Lobbying Mechanism to Push for 2nd Round of US-Iran Talks
Following the breakdown of US-Iran ceasefire talks, the US has blockaded Iranian ports. Egypt, Pakistan, and two other nations are urgently lobbying for a second round of negotiations to prevent escalation.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 17:47
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 18:01 (14 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 15:00 (116h 58m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Shih Wan-ching, Cairo, 14th) After the US-Iran ceasefire talks broke down on the 12th, the United States began blockading Iranian ports on the 13th. To prevent the situation from escalating, four neighboring countries, including Egypt and Pakistan, have established a "Middle East Four-Party Mechanism" to fully lobby the US and Iran to enter a second round of negotiations.
According to the Egyptian media outlet Al Ahram, following the collapse of the first round of US-Iran talks in Pakistan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is preparing to visit Saudi Arabia to seek support for Pakistan's proposed plan, aiming to facilitate an agreement between Iran and the US as soon as possible and to consult on the latest developments in the Middle East.
The report quoted Egyptian sources saying that Pakistan, along with Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, has established the "Middle East Four-Party Mechanism." Among them, Egypt and Turkey are making every effort to lobby the US and Iran to launch the second round of talks.
A Pakistani source told Al Ahram that the second round of talks is likely to be held in the coming days, as the ceasefire agreement brokered by Pakistan is valid for two weeks and expires on April 22. Furthermore, the second round of negotiations will focus on the most difficult issue to reach a consensus on: the "Iranian nuclear program."
According to the Associated Press, two US officials and sources familiar with the matter revealed that the US and Iran are considering holding a new round of face-to-face talks on April 16.
The Pakistani source explained that the sticking point is that the US originally only demanded that Iran's nuclear program be monitored and its uranium enrichment level reduced; however, under pressure from Israel, the US position has now shifted to completely opposing Iran having any form of a nuclear program.
Regarding Trump's blockade of Iranian ports, Pakistani security analyst Syd Muhammad Ali told Al Ahram that it is currently uncertain whether the US will fully implement the blockade. Because the US still has some Arab and Asian allies trading with Iran, if this is the case, Iran's response should not be overly rigid.
Ali pointed out that implementing a blockade is part of US coercive diplomacy and does not mean the US does not want to resume negotiations. In particular, compared to bombing Iran, a blockade carries lower risks. If the US takes escalating actions against the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will certainly react, which would only exacerbate the global energy crisis, and "no one wants to see this happen."
Ali emphasized that since neither Iran nor the US is a party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it is difficult for either side to make claims regarding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi sources told Al Ahram that since Iran imposed navigation restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, ships and tankers from some Gulf countries have still been entering and exiting the strait.
The report also mentioned that several permanent members of the UN Security Council (such as France) have stated they do not favor military action over the Strait of Hormuz issue. China and Russia have also submitted draft resolutions emphasizing that the parties to the conflict should stick to negotiations rather than military confrontation. (Editor: Hsieh Yi-hsuan) 1150414
(CNA Reporter Shih Wan-ching, Cairo, 14th) After the US-Iran ceasefire talks broke down on the 12th, the United States began blockading Iranian ports on the 13th. To prevent the situation from escalating, four neighboring countries, including Egypt and Pakistan, have established a "Middle East Four-Party Mechanism" to fully lobby the US and Iran to enter a second round of negotiations.
According to the Egyptian media outlet Al Ahram, following the collapse of the first round of US-Iran talks in Pakistan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is preparing to visit Saudi Arabia to seek support for Pakistan's proposed plan, aiming to facilitate an agreement between Iran and the US as soon as possible and to consult on the latest developments in the Middle East.
The report quoted Egyptian sources saying that Pakistan, along with Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, has established the "Middle East Four-Party Mechanism." Among them, Egypt and Turkey are making every effort to lobby the US and Iran to launch the second round of talks.
A Pakistani source told Al Ahram that the second round of talks is likely to be held in the coming days, as the ceasefire agreement brokered by Pakistan is valid for two weeks and expires on April 22. Furthermore, the second round of negotiations will focus on the most difficult issue to reach a consensus on: the "Iranian nuclear program."
According to the Associated Press, two US officials and sources familiar with the matter revealed that the US and Iran are considering holding a new round of face-to-face talks on April 16.
The Pakistani source explained that the sticking point is that the US originally only demanded that Iran's nuclear program be monitored and its uranium enrichment level reduced; however, under pressure from Israel, the US position has now shifted to completely opposing Iran having any form of a nuclear program.
Regarding Trump's blockade of Iranian ports, Pakistani security analyst Syd Muhammad Ali told Al Ahram that it is currently uncertain whether the US will fully implement the blockade. Because the US still has some Arab and Asian allies trading with Iran, if this is the case, Iran's response should not be overly rigid.
Ali pointed out that implementing a blockade is part of US coercive diplomacy and does not mean the US does not want to resume negotiations. In particular, compared to bombing Iran, a blockade carries lower risks. If the US takes escalating actions against the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will certainly react, which would only exacerbate the global energy crisis, and "no one wants to see this happen."
Ali emphasized that since neither Iran nor the US is a party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it is difficult for either side to make claims regarding freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi sources told Al Ahram that since Iran imposed navigation restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, ships and tankers from some Gulf countries have still been entering and exiting the strait.
The report also mentioned that several permanent members of the UN Security Council (such as France) have stated they do not favor military action over the Strait of Hormuz issue. China and Russia have also submitted draft resolutions emphasizing that the parties to the conflict should stick to negotiations rather than military confrontation. (Editor: Hsieh Yi-hsuan) 1150414