Trump: Negotiating Team to Arrive in Pakistan April 20; Iran Undecided

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the 19th that the American negotiating delegation would arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan, on the 20th. President Trump stated via his social media platform Truth Social, "My delegation will travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, and they will arrive there on the evening of the 20th for negotiations." The U.S. delegation includes Vice President J.D. Vance, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff, the White House Special Envoy for the Middle East.

Iran, citing the previous day's shooting incident in the Strait of Hormuz as a violation of the ceasefire, raised the issue of the U.S. maintaining its maritime blockade. Iran has not decided on sending a delegation to Pakistan, citing the U.S. maritime blockade as the reason. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported this fact.

President Trump described the situation as "very strange," pointing to the simultaneous developments of Iran's announcement to close the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. blockade operations. President Trump claimed that Iran is suffering $500 million in losses daily, while the U.S. is losing nothing. Ships carrying American crude oil are reportedly heading to the U.S.

President Trump urged Iran to accept what he called "a very fair and reasonable negotiation proposal." He threatened that if Iran did not agree, he would destroy power plants and all bridges.