Iranian delegation meets Pakistan PM ahead of landmark US talks

The Iranian delegation held a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Saturday, state broadcaster IRIB reported. The meeting began at 1:30 pm local time (08:30 GMT) and was expected to focus on alleged breaches of the ceasefire by the United States, as well as Iran’s 10‑point proposal, which Tehran considers the framework for negotiations to end the war that began on 28 February.

Delegations and Agenda

Iran’s team is led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and deputy to the National Security Council Ali Bagheri Kani. The US delegation is headed by Vice President JD Vance and includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The “Islamabad Talks” – the most significant US‑Iran negotiations since 1979 – are being held in both direct and indirect formats, mediated by Pakistan.

Ceasefire Violations and Demands

Ghalibaf had earlier stated that continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the entry of a drone into Iranian airspace, and the denial of Iran’s right to enrich uranium constitute violations of the two‑week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan. The talks are seen as a make‑or‑break moment for a permanent end to a conflict that has killed thousands, disrupted global energy markets and paralysed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Türkiye, together with China, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, has supported Pakistan’s mediation efforts.