US-Iran peace talks begin in Islamabad under Pakistan's 'mediation'

The White House declined to confirm whether direct meetings between US and Iranian officials had taken place, stating only that there had been a bilateral engagement with Pakistani officials earlier

Negotiations between Iran and the United States began in Islamabad on Saturday, with Iranian state media reporting that the talks are being conducted under Pakistan’s "mediation". The Islamic Republic News Agency said the engagement had commenced, although the exact format of the discussions remained unclear.

 

The White House, as reported by The New York Times, declined to confirm whether direct meetings between US and Iranian officials had taken place. 

The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance and accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived earlier today in Islamabad ahead of the discussions. Iran’s delegation is headed by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, senior defence official Ali Akbar Ahmadian, central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati and other officials.

 

 

Ahead of the talks, both delegations met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately.

 

Mohammad Reza Aref said on Saturday that the talks could yield an agreement if US officials acted in line with President Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine. “However, if we face representatives of Israel First, there will be no deal,” Aref said in a social media post. He added that “the world will face greater costs” if the talks fail and hostilities resume.

 

The agenda is expected to cover sanctions, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear programme and the conflict involving Israel and Lebanon.

 

Washington has urged Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route that has remained severely disrupted since the conflict began on February 28. Iran has proposed levying transit fees on vessels passing through the waterway, a move opposed by the US, while Trump has suggested a possible “joint venture” to determine tolls.

 

On the nuclear issue, Iran has maintained that it is not pursuing nuclear weapons but seeks recognition of its right to enrich uranium. The US has rejected this position, with Trump stating that “there will be no enrichment of uranium”. Iran’s nuclear programme has long been a source of tension, leading to multiple rounds of US sanctions.

 

Tehran has also called for a broader ceasefire framework to include Lebanon, where Israeli military operations have intensified. Lebanese authorities say more than 2,000 people have been killed since fighting escalated on March 2, while Israel maintains that its operations against Hezbollah fall outside any ceasefire arrangement and will continue.

 

Iran has further sought sanctions relief and assurances that the US will not carry out future military strikes, aiming for a more durable settlement beyond the current two-week ceasefire.

 

Qalibaf said on Friday that two previously agreed steps — a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran’s blocked assets — “must be fulfilled before negotiations begin”, a position rejected by both the US and Israel.

 

The talks come amid heightened tensions, with Trump warning of fresh military action if negotiations fail. He said the US was preparing its warships with the “best weapons” and added, “And if we don’t have a deal, we will be using them, and we will be using them very effectively.”

 

Separately, Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to meet in Washington on Tuesday for US-mediated discussions on a ceasefire and a roadmap for further negotiations.

 

Lebanon’s health ministry said 357 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Wednesday, taking the total death toll since March 2 to more than 1,953, with 6,303 others injured.