US Vice President JD Vance Arrives in Islamabad for High-Stakes Peace Talks with Iran

U.S. Vice President JD Vance departed Friday and is scheduled to land in Islamabad on Saturday morning, April 11, 2026, to lead American negotiations with an Iranian delegation in Pakistan, in an effort to end six weeks of war in the Middle East. Vance will be accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump. The Iranian delegation, led by Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Islamabad on Friday evening and was received by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is serving as the primary mediator, having extended the invitation to both parties. The talks are set against a backdrop of deep mutual distrust, with both sides issuing pointed warnings before negotiations have even formally begun. The schedule of discussions has not been confirmed by either delegation.

Both sides issue sharp warnings before talks open Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf set the tone for the Iranian position immediately upon landing in Islamabad, leading a delegation of more than 70 people. „We have good intentions, but we do not trust.” — Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf via Le Parisien He emphasized that past negotiations with the United States had always ended in "failures and broken promises," according to Iranian state television. Ghalibaf had previously warned that talks would not begin until two preconditions were met: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the unblocking of Iranian assets. For his part, Vance issued a direct warning to Tehran before boarding his plane. „If they try to play us, they will see that our negotiating team will not show itself to be very receptive.” — JD Vance via SudOuest.fr Vance added that he was nonetheless attempting to conduct positive negotiations, framing the trip as a genuine diplomatic effort rather than a confrontational one.

Ceasefire holds, but Pakistan warns harder stage lies ahead A temporary two-week ceasefire was secured during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, providing a fragile window for the Islamabad talks. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the development but cautioned that the diplomatic process had entered its most demanding phase. „An even more difficult stage now awaits us: establishing a lasting truce and resolving delicate issues through diplomatic channels.” — Shehbaz Sharif via SudOuest.fr Sharif described this stage using the English phrase "make or break," underscoring the stakes attached to the Islamabad meeting. President Trump, for his part, asserted Friday that Iran had "no cards in hand" to negotiate other than the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely blocked in retaliation since the start of the conflict. Trump claimed the strategic passage would be "soon open," though oil markets remained cautious, with the price of a barrel dipping only modestly back below 100 dollars at Friday's close.

The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran. Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, was killed in the initial strikes. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was subsequently appointed Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026. The war has drawn in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have inflicted significant casualties since the conflict's start. Iran imposed an internet shutdown on its population that, according to reports, has now exceeded 1,000 hours — a record duration.

Lebanon-Israel meeting set for Washington as casualties mount Separately from the Islamabad process, Lebanon and Israel have agreed to hold an initial meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the headquarters of the U.S. State Department in Washington, the Lebanese presidency announced Friday. The meeting is intended to discuss the establishment of a truce and the date for the start of formal negotiations between the two countries under U.S. mediation. Israel, however, has stated it will not engage in discussions with Hezbollah, complicating the scope of any potential agreement. The human cost of the conflict in Lebanon has been severe: Israeli strikes carried out simultaneously across Lebanon on Wednesday killed 357 people, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Health. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that the cumulative death toll in Lebanon since the start of the war has reached 1,953. According to France 24, the last time Beirut suffered shelling of such violence and intensity was in 1982.