Direct talks begin between US, Iran delegations in Islamabad: state media

Direct talks have begun between the US and Iranian delegations in Islamabad, state media PTV News has reported.

The US delegation is led by US Vice President JD Vance, who is accompanied by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

The Iranian delegation is led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and also includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, along with other leaders.

The talks are taking place during a two-week halt in the US-Israeli war against Iran, which began with US-Israeli attacks on February 28. The conflict, which spread across the Middle East and sent shockwaves through global economies, paused after Pakistan brokered a temporary ceasefire on April 8.

PM Shehbaz meets Iranian delegation

Prior to the talks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held separate meetings with delegations from the United States and Iran.

PM Shehbaz held a meeting with the Iranian delegation at the Islamabad Talks today, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement

“Appreciating Iran’s engagement in the Islamabad Talks, the prime minister affirmed Pakistan’s sincere resolve to continue playing its role as a mediator to help build momentum towards achieving meaningful results in the interest of regional and global peace and stability,” PMO stated.

Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi attended the meeting from the Pakistani side.

The PMO shared a video from the exchange, showing PM Shehbaz greeting Ghalibaf and Araghchi by hugging them and shaking hands.

PM Shehbaz meets US VP Vance

PM Shehbaz held a separate meeting with Vance, Witkoff and Kushner, who had arrived in Pakistan earlier in the day.

In a statement issued about the US delegation’s meeting, the PMO said, “Commending the commitment of both delegations to engage constructively, the prime minister expressed the hope that these talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region.”

The statement added that the premier “reiterated that Pakistan looks forward to continue its facilitation of both sides in making progress towards sustainable peace in the region”.

PM Shehbaz was assisted by Dar and Naqvi, according to PMO.

Delegations arrive

Shortly after 10:30am PKT on Saturday, Vance landed at the Nur Khan Air Base, where he was greeted by Dar, Naqvi and CDF Munir.

In a statement officially confirming the US delegation’s arrival, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Dar welcomed Vance and “commended US commitment to achieving lasting regional and global peace and stability”.

The deputy premier “expressed the hope that parties would engage constructively, and reiterated Pakistan’s desire to continue facilitating the parties towards reaching [a] lasting and durable solution to the conflict”.

The Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad early on Saturday morning after a last-minute hurdle over Israeli strikes in Lebanon eased. Tehran had conditioned its participation on a halt to attacks in Lebanon, a point Pakistan said was included in the US-Iran ceasefire.

Officials from the US National Security Council, State Department and Department of Defence are accompanying Vance, while advanced security, technical and communications teams reached Islamabad on Friday.

According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, other Iranian negotiators include Supreme National Defence Council Secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian and central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati.

Points of contention

As of Friday, talks had come close to being derailed as Iran insisted it would not join negotiations unless Israeli strikes in Lebanon stopped.

Ghalibaf made clear on Friday evening that Tehran’s participation hinged on two conditions — a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad, estimated at about $7 billion. He said these steps “must be fulfilled before negotiations begin”.

An Iranian official told Dawn: “We forced a pause in attacks in Beirut and Dahieh by making it a red line in negotiations and also made it clear that if Israel crosses it again, talks would be off.”

Iran maintains that any ceasefire must extend across all fronts, including Hezbollah, while the US and Israel have treated Lebanon attacks as outside the scope of the truce despite an initial understanding that Lebanon would be part of the ceasefire.

The divergence has repeatedly threatened to unravel the diplomatic track.

Ahead of his departure from Washington, Vance described the expected talks as potentially “positive” and said the US was prepared to negotiate in good faith, while cautioning that Washington would not be “receptive” to what it sees as stalling tactics.

Trump, however, struck a harder note, warning that Iran did not have “many cards” left and that military action could resume if the talks failed. He also criticised Tehran over continued restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains a key point of leverage in the standoff.

PM Shehbaz said Pakistan, which has played a central role in facilitating the talks, would “try its level best” to ensure their success. He framed the negotiations as an opportunity to resolve “contentious issues through dialogue” but acknowledged the complexity of the task ahead.

The agenda reflects that complexity. While the talks are based on Iran’s 10-point proposal, which was accepted by Washington as a general framework, fundamental differences persist between the two sides.

The US is expected to push for restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme, including limits on enrichment and possible removal of nuclear material, while Iran is demanding full sanctions relief, recognition of its nuclear rights, a framework for navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and access to frozen funds.

Regional proxy networks, missile ranges and sequencing of concessions remain additional flashpoints.

Officials and analysts believe that the breadth of issues makes it unlikely that substantive breakthroughs will emerge within the initial two-day engagement. At best, the opening round may establish a pathway for continued negotiations or yield limited understandings on immediate de-escalation measures.

Expectations, therefore, remain cautious. The arrival of delegations in Islamabad would, nevertheless, represent a rare diplomatic opening, but the process is unfolding under considerable strain with ongoing violence in Lebanon, continued disruption in Gulf shipping lanes and deep mistrust between Washington and Tehran.