Can peace talks between the U. S. and Iran survive the trust gap?

The latest efforts to pause the conflict between the U. S. and Iran show signs of progress after talks collapsed over the weekend. Iran’s negotiators seem willing to reach an agreement, according to U. S. officials. Vice President Vance called the current state of negotiations "very good, " despite acknowledging deep-seated mistrust between the two nations. The second attempt at peace talks may restart in Pakistan within days, following Washington’s decision to block Iranian ports after the failed weekend discussions.A temporary truce has been holding for two weeks, but its future remains uncertain. Vance, who took part in the weekend negotiations, admitted that fixing decades of tension won’t happen quickly. He emphasized that Iran wants a deal, but the path forward is still shaky. Meanwhile, the human cost of the conflict keeps rising. Thousands have died in strikes by both sides, while millions have been forced from their homes due to the violence. The fighting began after the U. S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February. Iran retaliated by targeting Israel and countries in the Gulf that host U. S. military bases. Since then, the fighting has spread, pulling in Lebanon and causing even more destruction. The ceasefire’s survival for another week could offer a small window for diplomacy, but the road to lasting peace remains unclear.