UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — U.S., Iran hold direct talks in Pak. as truce holds

Q1. At the April 2026 direct U.S.–Iran talks in Islamabad, the U.S. delegation was led by which single highest-ranking official?

  • A. Vice-President J.D. Vance
  • B. President Donald Trump
  • C. The U.S. Secretary of State
  • D. The U.S. National Security Adviser

Q2. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led Iran's delegation at the Islamabad talks, holds which office in Iran?

  • A. Speaker of Iran's Parliament (Majlis)
  • B. President of Iran
  • C. Foreign Minister of Iran
  • D. Supreme Leader of Iran

Q3. Consider the following statements comparing the April 2026 ceasefire with the June 2026 memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the U.S.–Israel–Iran conflict: 1. The April arrangement was a two-week ceasefire, whereas the June MoU aimed to end the conflict within 60 days of its signing. 2. The two-week ceasefire was brokered by Pakistan, and the June MoU was announced by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. 3. Both the ceasefire and the MoU were formally approved by China. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The April arrangement was a two-week ceasefire, whereas the June MoU aimed to end the conflict within 60 days of its signing.
  2. The two-week ceasefire was brokered by Pakistan, and the June MoU was announced by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
  3. Both the ceasefire and the MoU were formally approved by China.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. With reference to the two-week ceasefire announced in the 2026 U.S.–Israel–Iran conflict, four actors are listed below: 1. Pakistan 2. China 3. Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei 4. The United Nations Security Council Which of the above is/are NOT correctly associated with securing that ceasefire?

  1. Pakistan
  2. China
  3. Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei
  4. The United Nations Security Council
  • A. 1 and 2
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 1 and 4

Q5. Iran's demand for the release of its frozen assets targets the U.S. sanctions machinery. Which U.S. body administers the freezing of Iranian assets under economic sanctions?

  • A. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury
  • B. The U.S. Department of State
  • C. The U.S. Federal Reserve System
  • D. The Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce

Q6. How many 'red line' demands did Iran communicate ahead of the Islamabad talks, per reporting on the negotiations?

  • A. One
  • B. Two
  • C. Three
  • D. Four

Q7. The memorandum of understanding announced by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was intended to bring the conflict to a formal end within how many days of its signing?

  • A. 30 days
  • B. 60 days
  • C. 90 days
  • D. 120 days

Q8. In describing Pakistan's role in the U.S.–Iran engagement, the term 'mediator' most precisely refers to which of the following?

  • A. A neutral third party that facilitates negotiations between disputing parties without imposing a settlement
  • B. A party that issues a legally binding arbitral award the disputants must accept
  • C. A guarantor that legally warrants the outcome and pays damages if it fails
  • D. A belligerent that enforces truce terms through military deployment

Q9. The Strait of Hormuz, a disputed issue in the talks, is most precisely defined as which of the following?

  • A. The only sea channel linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea
  • B. The channel linking the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea
  • C. The channel linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean
  • D. The channel linking the Black Sea with the Aegean Sea

Q10. After the Islamabad talks broke down, the U.S. President ordered a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—the waterway separating Iran from Oman—to be carried out by which force?

  • A. The U.S. Navy
  • B. The U.S. Coast Guard
  • C. The U.S. Air Force
  • D. The U.S. Marine Corps

Q11. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a landmark instance of U.S.–Iran nuclear diplomacy, was concluded in 2015 under which U.S. President?

  • A. Barack Obama
  • B. Donald Trump
  • C. George W. Bush
  • D. Bill Clinton

Q12. Regarding the impact of the 2026 conflict on global energy markets, consider the following statements: 1. Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell by more than 90% after the outbreak of the conflict. 2. The disruption was described as the biggest ever to global oil supply. 3. Unlike the Strait of Malacca, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be rerouted. 4. About 20% of global oil trade passes through the Strait of Malacca. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell by more than 90% after the outbreak of the conflict.
  2. The disruption was described as the biggest ever to global oil supply.
  3. Unlike the Strait of Malacca, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be rerouted.
  4. About 20% of global oil trade passes through the Strait of Malacca.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4