Pakistan, April 22 -- Pakistan is all set to host a second round of US-Iran peace talks before a fragile ceasefire expires on April 22. The scale of preparation reflects the stakes, with authorities moving to ensure that negotiations proceed without disruption. The first round lasted twenty-one hours and produced no deal, though both sides described the exchanges as constructive. That alone tells its own story. Diplomacy has resumed, but trust has not.

The mood is already strained by brinkmanship. US President Donald Trump claimed that a destroyer blasted an Iranian ship, while Iranian media said Revolutionary Guards chased off a US assault. Tehran cites the blockade and the weekend's attack as justification for hesitation. However, the ...