Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Arrives in Islamabad for Direct Peace Talks with US

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday night, April 24, 2026, setting the stage for a potential second round of direct peace talks between Iran and the United States aimed at ending their ongoing war. Senior Pakistani government officials confirmed the development to Al Jazeera following a series of phone calls between Araghchi and Pakistani leaders earlier on Friday. A US logistics and security team is already positioned in Islamabad to prepare for the negotiations, according to officials in the city familiar with the matter. The US has not yet confirmed whether and when it will send a delegation to meet Araghchi, or who will lead it. One Pakistani official told Al Jazeera there is now a "high likelihood of a breakthrough" between the two sides, after days of escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Blockade and ship seizures nearly derailed second round The path to a second round of talks has been turbulent since the first round ended inconclusively on April 11, 2026, in Islamabad. President Donald Trump enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports on April 13, just two days after those talks collapsed without agreement. Iran responded by declaring it would not return to negotiations until the blockade was lifted, while Trump refused to rescind the order. Tensions escalated further in the strait when the US captured an Iranian-flagged ship, after which Iran seized two ships of its own and fired at a third. Iran had effectively blocked the strait for most ships since early March 2026, compounding pressure on global shipping. By midweek, the prospect of a second round of talks remained deeply uncertain.

US-Iran Islamabad Talks — Key Events: — ; — ; — ; —

Pakistan's mediation role proved decisive in reviving dialogue The shift in Iran's position came after Araghchi spoke by phone with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, on Friday morning. Pakistan's foreign ministry said Dar underscored the importance of sustained dialogue, while Araghchi expressed appreciation for Pakistan's "consistent and constructive facilitation role." Iran's state news agency IRNA also reported a separate call between Araghchi and Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, though Pakistani authorities neither confirmed nor denied that conversation. Pakistan has served as the host and facilitator for the negotiations, a role that has grown in significance as direct US-Iran communication has remained limited. The calls on Friday morning appear to have broken the deadlock that had persisted since the blockade was imposed.

US team on the ground, but delegation leadership still unclear At least nine US aircraft arrived in Islamabad this week carrying communications equipment, vehicles, security staff, and technical personnel in preparation for the dialogue, according to Al Jazeera. 9 (aircraft) — US aircraft arrived in Islamabad ahead of talks A US Embassy spokesman in Islamabad declined to comment on the preparations, while the Iranian Embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The first round of talks on April 11 saw the US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance, alongside Trump's special envoy Steve Wirkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. A US delegation led by Vance had been expected to arrive in Islamabad at the start of this week, but those plans were postponed after Iran said it was not prepared to return. Iran's delegation in the April 11 talks was led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, widely seen as closer to the IRGC than Araghchi and the political leadership under President Masoud Pezeshkian. The composition of both delegations for any second round has not yet been confirmed.

The US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28, 2026, in an operation that also killed then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in initial strikes. Iran subsequently appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, as Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026. Iran moved to block the Strait of Hormuz for most ships in early March 2026, a significant escalation given the waterway's role in global energy markets. The first direct US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad took place on April 11, 2026, marking the first known direct negotiations between the two governments since the conflict began.