Negotiations Stall Again: Will the US and Iran Go Back to War? What the Experts Say

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DOHA— US President Donald Trump’s announcement regarding the cancellation of his country’s delegation visit to Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, has once again disrupted the tense dynamics of relations with Iran. This simultaneously reveals the vast differences in narratives and assessments among the involved parties at a time when the paths of war and negotiation overlap, and doubts are increasingly mounting about the viability of any diplomatic route at this stage. Quoted from Al Jazeera on Sunday (26/4/2026), Middle East studies expert Hassan Jamoul provided an overview that reflects the deadlock dominating the situation, describing it as a state of neither war, nor peace, nor negotiation, nor agreement. He noted that this state appears to be the only thing agreed upon by all parties, alongside the continuation of indirect escalation actions such as mutual ship detentions. Jamoul questioned the reasons for the failure of the second round of talks, as well as how Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit transformed from a series of diplomacy into a stage where the response given was described by Washington as “nothing.” He also questioned the source of Trump’s previous confidence in expressing his hope for an Iranian offer that meets American demands, before he reaffirmed that he does not know who is actually responsible for decisions within Iran. In this context, Ambassador Joe Hood, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, proposed two possible explanations for what happened, based on his experience in diplomacy.