President Trump signaled Friday that the United States is preparing for possible military action against Iran if upcoming negotiations in Pakistan do not succeed. Iran, meanwhile, insists talks cannot move forward while Israeli attacks continue in Lebanon and unless frozen Iranian assets are released.
The talks come as violence continues between Israel and Hezbollah, with more than 300 reported dead in Lebanon this week. At the same time, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted, raising fears of higher oil prices and a broader regional conflict. Pakistan has locked down Islamabad ahead of the high-stakes summit between the U.S. and Iran.
Trump says the U.S. is ready for military action if Iran talks in Pakistan fail. Iran demands an end to Israeli strikes on Lebanon first, while Hormuz tensions, oil prices, and Middle East military buildup continue. #Trump #Iran #MiddleEast #Islamabad #Hormuz #Lebanon #Israel pic.twitter.com/0u645D9eRI
— Matthew Brady (@mattbrady775) April 10, 2026
- President Donald Trump said the U.S. is preparing additional military action against Iran if negotiations in Pakistan fail, saying Iran has “no cards” and that the outcome should become clear within 24 hours.
- U.S.-Iran talks are expected in Islamabad, with Vice President JD Vance leading the American delegation alongside Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
- Iran says negotiations are “meaningless” unless Israeli strikes on Lebanon stop and Iran’s frozen assets are released before talks begin.
- Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf demanded:
- A ceasefire in Lebanon
- Release of blocked Iranian assets before negotiations
- Israel and Hezbollah continued exchanging attacks Friday despite tentative plans for Israel-Lebanon ceasefire talks in Washington next week.
- Lebanese officials say more than 300 people have been killed and over 1,150 wounded after major Israeli strikes earlier this week.
- Open-source tracking reportedly shows increased U.S. military transport flights into the Middle East, fueling speculation that Washington is preparing for a larger operation if diplomacy fails.
- The Strait of Hormuz remains tense. Trump warned Iran not to charge transit fees to ships, while reports say some vessels have been charged up to $2 million for passage.
- Only a small number of Iran- or China-linked ships have recently crossed Hormuz, and shipping insurers say countries are negotiating passage with Iran “case by case.”
- Pakistan placed Islamabad under heavy security and partial lockdown ahead of the talks.
