A US government aircraft carrying senior officials, including Vice President J D Vance, landed in Islamabad on Saturday , setting the stage for crucial negotiations with Iran aimed at ending a six-week war that has shaken the Middle East and global economy.
The Iranian delegation had already arrived in Islamabad in the early hours of Saturday for the high-stakes talks, as Pakistan hosts efforts to mediate between the two sides.
The US delegation includes Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, who are leading Washington’s negotiating team.
The arrival of the US team follows the earlier landing of the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who are in Islamabad for discussions aimed at ending the conflict involving the US and Israel.
The Iranian delegation was received on arrival by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, according to Pakistan’s foreign office.
In a statement, the foreign office expressed hope that both sides would engage constructively and reiterated Pakistan’s intent to facilitate efforts towards a lasting and durable resolution to the conflict in West Asia.
Earlier there were speculations on social media over whether the Iranian delegation would attend, particularly in light of Israeli strikes in Lebanon. Some reports, citing Iranian media, suggested Tehran’s participation hinged on the fulfilment of conditions outlined in the ceasefire agreement.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency had reported that negotiations would not commence until certain “preconditions” were met. Echoing this, Ghalibaf said two agreed measures, a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran’s blocked assets, were yet to be implemented.
“These two matters must be fulfilled before negotiations begin,” Ghalibaf said in a post on X before departing for Islamabad.
Ahead of his departure to Pakistan, Vance said President Donald Trump had provided “clear guidelines” for the negotiations.
“As the US president said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend an open hand. If they’re going to try to play us, they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive,” he told reporters.
US President Donald Trump has posted repeatedly about the negotiations on social media, saying Iranian officials "have no cards.” He accused them of using the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy supplies, for extortion.
Trump wrote, “The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!”
Pakistan played a key role in facilitating the dialogue, following Sharif’s appeal earlier this week that led to the temporary halt in hostilities.
Earlier, Araghchi, in a phone call with Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Shibani, stressed that the US must honour its ceasefire commitments, including extending the truce to Lebanon.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also warned that Israeli strikes on Lebanon violate the initial ceasefire and could undermine the talks.
Meanwhile, direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in the US capital, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office had said Friday. Beirut is keen to hold direct talks to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah, but under a ceasefire similar to the one with Iran.
Israel wants the Lebanese government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, much like was envisaged in a November 2024 ceasefire. But it is unclear whether Lebanon's army can establish a monopoly on arms or confiscate weapons from the militant group, which has resisted efforts to curb its strength for decades.
Israel’s insistence that the ceasefire in Iran does not include a pause in its fighting with Hezbollah has threatened to sink the deal. The militant group joined the war in support of its backer, Iran.
The day the truce was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. It was the deadliest day in the country since the war began Feb. 28.
Trump said Thursday he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dial back the strikes.
Then on Friday, Israeli warplanes struck near a state security office in the southern town of Nabatieh, killing 13 officers, according to the Lebanese president’s office. Israeli forces said they also hit about 10 rocket launchers in Lebanon that had fired toward northern Israel.
Security has been tightened across Islamabad ahead of the negotiations, with the city placed on ‘red alert’. More than 10,000 police and security personnel have been deployed, officials said.
The Red Zone, which houses key government buildings, is under the protection of the army and Rangers, with access restricted to authorised personnel and residents.
The high-stakes talks are being closely monitored worldwide, with their outcome expected to have significant implications for security in West Asia, global energy markets, and international diplomacy.
(With inputs from Agencies)
