New York Post: US-Iran talks 'could be happening over next two days'

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that talks with Iran could resume in Pakistan within the next two days, according to media reports. 

"Something could be happening over the next two days, and we're more inclined to go there (Pakistan)," Trump told a New York Post reporter.

"It's more likely, you know why? Because the field marshal is doing a great job," Trump said, referring to Pakistani Field Marshal General Asim Munir, the country's chief of army staff, who attended the previous talks between the US and Iranian negotiators on Saturday.

US Vice President JD Vance said on Tuesday that he will push for a "grand bargain" with Iran as he is expected to lead potential fresh in-person US-Iran talks.

Washington has proposed a 20-year suspension of Iran's nuclear activities and Iran, for its part, has countered with a proposal to suspend its nuclear program for up to five years during their stalled talks in Pakistan on Saturday, according to a report from The New York Times on Monday.

Washington is not seeking a permanent ban on Iran's uranium enrichment, a compromise that would allow Tehran to argue it has not permanently relinquished its right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to produce nuclear fuel, the newspaper cited sources familiar with the talks as saying.

Other issues looming over the negotiations include restoring free passage in the Strait of Hormuz and ending Iran's support for "proxy groups" like Hamas and Hezbollah, said the report.

Earlier on Monday, Trump said his administration received a call from Iran on Monday morning, claiming Iran "would like to make a deal very badly" but also signaling Washington's eagerness to reach a deal to end the conflict, stressing that the sticking point in talks with Iran "was over nuclear" and a priority for the United States is to retrieve Iran's enriched uranium. 

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday also expressed optimism about the resumption of negotiations between Iran and the United States, saying a new round of dialogue is expected soon after recent talks held in Islamabad.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday that the resumption of talks between Washington and Tehran is highly probable. "The indication we have is that it is highly probable that these talks will restart," Guterres told reporters at the UN Headquarters.

"I consider essential that these negotiations go on," said Guterres, noting that it would be unrealistic to expect that such a complex, long-lasting problem could be resolved in the first session of a negotiation.

"So we need negotiations to go on, and we need a ceasefire to persist as negotiations go on," the UN chief said, adding that there is no military solution to the crisis and peace agreements require persistent engagement and political will.

(With input from Xinhua)