The United States and Iran are engaged in direct, in-person talks in Pakistan aimed at bringing an end to their six-week-old conflict, just days after a fragile ceasefire was established. These face-to-face discussions commenced in Islamabad on Saturday afternoon, as confirmed by the White House. This followed separate bilateral meetings that each delegation held earlier with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Iranian state media reported the initiation of three-party talks, stating that they began after Iranian preconditions, such as a reduction in Israeli attacks on Lebanon, were reportedly met. Abid Hussain of Al Jazeera, reporting from Islamabad, noted that the discussions were initially intended as “proximate talks.” However, “sources close to the mediation indicate that the two teams are now engaged in direct negotiations, with Pakistani mediators also present in the room.”
The U.S. delegation is headed by Vice President JD Vance, and includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Iran’s delegation, comprising over 70 individuals, is led by parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Both Vance and Ghalibaf held separate meetings with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Sharif earlier on Saturday. Sharif’s office expressed Islamabad’s commitment to continuing its role in facilitating both parties. A statement from Sharif’s office conveyed that “The Prime Minister expressed the hope that these talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region.”
These negotiations are proceeding despite earlier statements from Tehran that they would not occur without commitments regarding Lebanon’s inclusion in the ceasefire and the lifting of U.S. sanctions. Earlier, Ghalibaf posted on X, stating that Washington had previously agreed to unblock Iranian assets and to a ceasefire in Lebanon. In Lebanon, Israeli attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters have resulted in nearly 2,000 deaths since the conflict began in March.
Israel and the U.S. maintain that the campaign in Lebanon is separate from the Iran-U.S. ceasefire, a position contested by Tehran and Pakistan, who assert its inclusion. Osama Bin Javaid, reporting for Al Jazeera from Islamabad, cited sources indicating that “some progress has been made on basic conditions, including the need for a ceasefire in Lebanon.” Although a full ceasefire in Lebanon has not yet been agreed upon, Bin Javaid reported on indications of a possible understanding to limit strikes to southern Lebanon.
Sources also suggest “there could be some movement on the unfreezing” of Iranian assets, according to Bin Javaid. He cautioned, however, that “it is still early hours and a lot of this needs to be confirmed,” but noted Pakistan remains very hopeful for a breakthrough.
Iranian state media reported that Ghalibaf had stated earlier that Iran was prepared to reach an agreement if Washington presented what he termed a “genuine agreement” and upheld Iran’s rights. “Our experience in negotiating with the Americans has always been met with failure and broken promises,” Ghalibaf remarked shortly after arriving in Pakistan.
Former President Trump posted on social media, asserting that the only reason Iranian officials were alive was to negotiate a deal. He stated, “The Iranians don’t seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short term extortion of the World by using International Waterways. The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!”
Vance, speaking en route to Pakistan, expressed an expectation for a positive outcome but added a warning: “If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive.”
Trump had announced a two-week ceasefire in the conflict on Tuesday, which led to a halt in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran. However, this ceasefire has not yet ended Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has caused unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies, nor has it secured a ceasefire in the parallel conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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