A high-level Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker MB Ghalibaf landed in Islamabad under Pakistani airforce escort for negotiations with the US. They were welcomed by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Army Chief Asim Munir, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at Nur Khan Airbase
Apart from MB Ghalibaf, delegation consists of FM Abbas Araghchi, Secretary of the Defense Council, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Governor of the Central Bank Abdolnaser Hemmati, among others.
The visit comes ahead of much anticipated peace talks with the US, as regional diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan, intensify to address ongoing regional tensions and find ways toward de-escalation.
When JD Vance, Vice President of the United States arrives in Islamabad for talks on Saturday with Iranian officials, he will become the most senior American official to meet Iranian leadership since 1977. According to sources, Vance will be joined by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Iranian leaders distrust both men, since two previous rounds of talks with them failed and led to U.S. strikes.
Iran sees Vance as one of the most anti-war figures in President Donald Trump’s inner circle.
In a televised speech on Islamabad Talks, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the US-Iran talks in Islamabad slated to begin on Saturday were a make or break to achieve a permanent ceasefire in the weeks-long Middle East conflict.
He further said that leaders of both Iran and the United States would attend the ceasefire talks. “In response to my sincere invitation, the leaderships of both countries are coming to Islamabad. There, negotiations will be held for the establishment of peace,” Shehbaz Sharif said in an address to the nation on late Friday night.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum demanding that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz was about to run out, Trump announced that he decided to postpone further military action against Iran for two weeks.
This came after talks with Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif and its army chief Asim Munir. Trump also said Washington had received from Islamabad a 10-point peace proposal, which he described as “a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
Earlier, Iran’s Parliament speaker said that two of the measures mutually agreed upon between the parties have yet to be implemented: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran’s blocked assets prior to the commencement of negotiations. These two matters must be fulfilled before negotiations begin.
President Trump on talks in Islamabad: “We’ll find out what’s going on. They’re militarily defeated and now we’re going to open up the [Strait]… You have a good team and they meet tomorrow. We’ll see how it all works out.” He further emphasized that he won’t allow Iran to toll tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Md Irshad Ayub is an English editor at millat times and Delhi-based freelance journalist.