Trump's "I'm Winning War By A Lot" Claim As Uncertainty Looms Over Pak Talks

Here are 10 points on this big story:

1. The first session ended without a deal, leaving both sides pointing to breaches of the temporary two-week ceasefire that is due to expire on Wednesday evening US eastern time.President Donald Trump told Bloomberg News that it was "highly unlikely" he would extend the ceasefire. In a separate interview with PBS News, he warned that if no agreement was reached by the deadline, "then lots of bombs start going off."

2. Hours before the scheduled talks, Trump took to Truth Social to write: "I'm winning a War, BY A LOT, things are going very well, our Military has been amazing. The enemy is confused, because they get these same Media "reports," and yet they realize their Navy has been completely wiped out, their Air Force has gone onto darker runways, they have no Anti Missile or Anti Airplane Equipment, their former leaders are mostly gone (This has been, in addition to everything else, Regime Change!), and perhaps, most important of all, THE BLOCKADE, which we will not take off until there is a "DEAL," is absolutely destroying Iran. They are losing $500 Million Dollars a day, an unsustainable number, even in the short run. The Anti-America Fake News Media is rooting for Iran to win, but it's not going to happen, because I'm in charge! Just like these unpatriotic people used every ounce of their limited strength to fight me in the Election, they continue to do so with Iran. The result will be the same - It already is!"

3. Trump said earlier did not know whether Iran would attend the planned talks. "They're supposed to be there. We agreed to be there," he said. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated on Monday that Tehran had "no plans for the next round of negotiation" and that no decision had been taken. 

4. The White House has indicated that Vice President JD Vance will lead the US side. Trump had earlier suggested he would not travel himself, citing security concerns, and there were conflicting reports about the exact composition of the delegation.

5. The New York Post reported that Vance, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were heading to Islamabad. Trump was quoted saying "They're heading over now." However, Vance was seen arriving at the White House by motorcade late on Monday morning, suggesting he had not yet departed Washington. It remained unclear whether other US officials were already en route or in place in Islamabad.

6. The first round of talks in Islamabad involved the same three US figures -- Vance, Witkoff and Kushner. Those discussions stalled over key differences, including Iran's nuclear enrichment activities, its support for regional proxies and arrangements concerning the Strait of Hormuz. 

7. Tensions escalated over the weekend when the US seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel that Washington said had attempted to evade its blockade of Iranian ports. Iran's joint military command described the boarding as an act of piracy and a violation of the ceasefire, vowing a response. 

8. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi told his Pakistani counterpart that the US actions against Iranian shipping were "clear signs" of bad faith ahead of any new talks, according to Iranian state media. Iran has imposed restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The US has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

9. Iran briefly reopened the strait following a ceasefire announcement related to Lebanon, but reimposed limits after Trump stated that the US blockade would remain in force until a deal was reached. The US military said it had directed 27 ships back to Iranian ports since the blockade began. 

10. Iran's Legal Medicine Organisation reported on Monday that at least 3,375 people had been killed in Iran since the war began. Of those, 2,875 were male and 496 female; 383 were children aged 18 or under. Separate tallies have put the number of injured in Iran at more than 26,000.