Iran live updates: US is 'very close' to deal with Iran, Trump says

Administration officials familiar with the ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran remain bullish that another in-person meeting between the two will be arranged soon and likely take place before the ceasefire expires next week.

Communication between negotiators from both countries have continued at a steady clip since the first round of talks wrapped, two U.S. officials said, adding that these conversations have taken place primarily though indirect channels but also via direct lines.

The administration’s goal is to bring both sides to the brink of an overarching deal to end the conflict that can then be pushed over the finish line in a second face-to-face meeting, according to the officials.

The officials acknowledge that technical talks to hammer out the fine details and implementation of the arrangement will likely take longer to complete, perhaps eventually necessitating an extension of the initial ceasefire, but that pushing back the truce’s expiration date isn’t a top priority for the administration at the moment.

Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have continued to be involved in negotiations throughout the week, but it’s not guaranteed that all three would represent the U.S. in second round of talks, one official said.

-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston

At least 2,167 people have been killed and 7,061 injured in Israeli strikes on Lebanon as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says strikes on Hezbollah continue, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Netanyahu said that Israeli forces are still striking Lebanon saying, "We are about to overwhelm Bint Jbeil, we are about to essentially eliminate this great stronghold of Hezbollah," in a video message Wednesday.

"I gave instructions to the IDF yesterday to continue to deepen the security zone, and also to deploy it east to the slopes of Mount Hermon," Netanyahu added.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied reports that the U.S. has formally request an extension of the ceasefire with Iran on Wednesday.

"At this moment, we remain very much engaged in these negotiations, in these talks," Leavitt said during a press briefing.

Leavitt said the White House feels good about the prospects of reaching a deal with Iran.

Leavitt also said future negotiations can be expected to take place in Islamabad again, and she praised the Pakistanis for their role in serving as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran.

“They would very likely be in the same place as they were last time, yes,” she said.

Nine vessels have been turned around at the Strait of Hormuz during the first 48 hours of the U.S. blockade, complying with U.S. orders, according to U.S. Central Command.

"During the first 48 hours of the U.S. blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports, no vessels have made it past U.S. forces," according to CENTCOM.