Global News Podcast Uncertainty over US-Iran peace talks
19 snips
Apr 21, 2026 
Nomsa Maseko, a BBC reporter on southern Africa, covers Pope Leo’s Angola visit and its clash with corruption, inequality and the legacy of slavery. Dr Vinod Balachandran, a Memorial Sloan Kettering cancer surgeon-scientist, discusses an experimental personalised pancreatic cancer vaccine. Also: shaky US-Iran talks, outrage over a damaged Jesus statue in Lebanon, and Tim Cook’s departure from Apple.
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Iran Conditions Its Participation In Islamabad Talks
- Iran's attendance at planned Islamabad peace talks is uncertain because Tehran refuses negotiations while US threats and a naval blockade persist.
- Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf said Iran won't accept talks under threats and may show "new cards on the battlefield".
US Delegation Awaits Iran Confirmation
- US Vice President J.D. Vance is preparing to lead the American delegation but will only travel if Iran confirms attendance.
- President Trump hinted he might lift the port blockade, a key concession that could determine whether talks occur.
Fundamental Gaps Remain In Negotiating Positions
- Core issues remain far apart: US demands Iran hand over enriched uranium and end disruptions, while Iran seeks non-repetition guarantees, reparations and sanctions relief.
- These demands make a swift, mutually acceptable deal unlikely.
