Top News

Islamabad. US Vice President JD Vance has reached Pakistan’s capital Islamabad for peace talks with Iran. Vance was welcomed by Pakistan Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Army Chief Asim Munir and Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Islamabad Natalie Baker. The US delegation is led by Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. All three reached Islamabad on Saturday. Iranian officials, under the leadership of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baghar Ghalibaf, also reached Pakistan early Saturday for talks.

Iranian delegation reaches Islamabad for ceasefire talks

Iran’s high-level delegation has reached Pakistan’s capital Islamabad for ceasefire talks and warned that the talks process could be derailed if its pre-conditions are not met. The delegation, led by Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, includes members of the security, political, military, economic and legal committees. This team reached Islamabad on Friday night.

Other officials in the Iranian delegation include Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Supreme National Defense Council Secretary Ali-Akbar Ahmadian, Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemati, as well as several members of parliament. From the US side, Vice President JD Vance, Washington’s regional envoy Steve Witkoff, and President Donald Trump’s advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner have also arrived in Islamabad.

Earlier, Trump on Tuesday announced a two-week pause in US strikes against Iran, which came 40 days after the US became involved in the conflict. Ghalibaf said on Friday that a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran’s frozen assets were prerequisites before resuming talks with the US. Trump has described the 10-point proposal presented by Iran as an “effective basis” for talks. This includes the condition of stopping offensive actions on all fronts, including Lebanon.

However, after Trump’s announcement, Israel has intensified attacks on Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people, including women and children. Upon reaching Islamabad, Ghalibaf said that Iran’s past experiences with America have not been trusting. He alleged that “twice in less than a year, during negotiations and despite Iran’s goodwill, the US attacked us and committed multiple war crimes.” He added, “We have goodwill, but we don’t trust the other side.”

Ghalibaf said that only if America is ready for a real agreement and recognizes the rights of the Iranian people, Iran will show readiness for an agreement. He warned that if the US uses the talks as a “misleading process”, Iran is ready to defend its national interests and sovereignty to the best of its capabilities.

It is noteworthy that talks between America and Iran are to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan on Saturday. To ensure that there is no disruption in the talks, US President Trump has spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Read this also:

Response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon: Iran closes Hormuz, global trade and ceasefire in danger