Uncertainty over US-Iran peace talks
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.2K Ratings
🗓️ 21 April 2026
⏱️ 31 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Iran's chief negotiator has cast fresh doubt on whether a second round of peace talks with the United States will go ahead in Pakistan. Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran would not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and was prepared to show "new cards on the battlefield". The US vice president, JD Vance, is expected to lead the American delegation. Also: outrage after a social media image shows an Israeli soldier hitting a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon. One of the most influential figures in the technology industry, Tim Cook, is stepping down as the chief executive of Apple. The American singer D4vd pleads not guilty to murdering a teenage girl whose remains were found in his car.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.5 | This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:11.3 | I'm Janet Jalil and in the early hours of Tuesday, the 21st of April, these are our main stories. |
| 0:18.5 | Mixed signals from Iran and the US as uncertainty continues over whether planned peace talks in Pakistan will go ahead. |
| 0:26.5 | Apple's chief executive, Tim Cook, is stepping down. |
| 0:29.7 | We'll look at his legacy and tell you about the new man who's replacing him. |
| 0:34.1 | The American singer, David, pleads not guilty to the murder of a 14-year-old girl whose remains were found in his car. |
| 0:44.2 | Also in this podcast, she is doing fantastic. She hiked up Mount Etna last year to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary. |
| 0:53.9 | She is a picture of vibrancy. |
| 0:56.8 | A new vaccine against pancreatic cancer gives hope to patients. |
| 1:06.3 | With less than 48 hours to go, as we record this podcast before the ceasefire deal between the US and Iran expires, |
| 1:14.4 | it's still not clear whether peace talks between them will go ahead. |
| 1:18.5 | In Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, roadblocks are in place and key sections of the city have been sealed off in anticipation of a meeting. |
| 1:26.8 | But Iran has yet to officially commit to more talks. |
| 1:31.0 | Its chief negotiator, Mohamed Baga Kalebaugh, said Tehran would not accept discussions under the shadow of US threats. |
| 1:41.2 | However, our correspondent in Tehran, Li Doucette, says there are growing indications that |
| 1:46.6 | the Iranians will go. There's still radio silence from Iranian officials about whether they will go |
| 1:52.5 | to Islamabad for a second round of high-level, high-stakes negotiations. But with every hour that |
| 1:59.7 | passes, there is a growing sense that the talks will |
| 2:03.0 | take place. The Iranians have to make their point. The Iranian media said that the Iranian |
| 2:08.8 | officials hadn't actually made a decision about going as long as the U.S. naval blockade |
| 2:14.2 | was in force. And when we speak to officials here, they say they have their |
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