US and Iran Launch Highest-Level Diplomatic Negotiations in Islamabad Since 1979

The highest-level diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran since 1979 are set to begin Saturday in Islamabad, Pakistan, as delegations from both countries converge on the Pakistani capital to negotiate a permanent settlement following a five-week war and a fragile two-week ceasefire. The US delegation is led by Vice President JD Vance, who will be accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump. The Iranian side arrived in Islamabad on Friday evening with a delegation of more than 70 people, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged both parties to treat the talks as a genuine opportunity for de-escalation, with his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stating the two sides must use the Pakistan talks to strive "in good faith for a lasting and comprehensive agreement, with the aim of de-escalating the situation and preventing a return to hostilities."

Iranian delegation arrives with conditions and deep mistrust Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf set the tone for the talks upon his arrival in Islamabad on Friday, openly acknowledging the depth of Iranian skepticism toward Washington. „We have good intentions, but we do not trust” — Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf via Courrier international Past negotiations with the United States have always ended in "failures and broken promises," Ghalibaf added, according to Iranian state television. Before departing for Pakistan, Ghalibaf had also warned that two conditions agreed upon by both parties still needed to be implemented before any substantive negotiation could begin: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the unblocking of frozen Iranian assets. Israel, however, continued its attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon undiminished, complicating Iran's stated conditions. Just hours after the two-week truce came into effect, Israeli strikes caused 357 deaths in Lebanon on Wednesday, according to a toll cited by Courrier international, with Israel stating it killed 180 Hezbollah fighters that day. On Friday, new strikes killed 13 members of Lebanese security forces in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese state news agency. Iran also demands reparations to compensate for the destruction caused by the approximately five-week-long war, as well as the lifting of all sanctions.

Vance warns Tehran not to "toy" with Washington JD Vance struck a cautiously firm tone before departing for Islamabad, calling on Tehran not to "toy" with Washington while simultaneously expressing willingness to engage. „If the Iranians are ready to negotiate in good faith, we are quite willing to reach out to them” — JD Vance via Courrier international Vance's arrival in Islamabad is scheduled for Saturday morning, when the talks are expected to formally begin. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought to reassure the public about the talks in a Friday address to the nation, affirming that the negotiations would be held "to establish peace." Islamabad was placed under heavy security ahead of the event, with thousands of paramilitary and army troops deployed, effectively turning the capital into what reporters described as a ghost town before the talks, which are set to be held in a luxury hotel. Spain also weighed in, with Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares calling on Iran to participate "in good faith" and to refrain from attacking other countries, following an exchange with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Nuclear program, Hormuz, and missiles top the agenda The agenda for the Islamabad talks covers a broad and contentious range of issues that have defined the US-Iran standoff for decades.

The United States and Iran have not held direct high-level diplomatic talks since the 1979 Islamic Revolution severed relations between the two countries. The current conflict — referred to in source articles as a war lasting approximately five weeks — began on February 28, 2026, when US-Israeli strikes killed then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ali Khamenei, was subsequently appointed Supreme Leader. Iran's nuclear program and its ballistic missile development have been central points of contention in international diplomacy for years, with previous agreements such as the 2015 nuclear deal collapsing after the United States withdrew.

Key negotiation points are expected to include the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping, Iran's nuclear program and uranium enrichment levels, the development of ballistic missiles, and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Iran additionally demands the lifting of all sanctions and reparations for war damages. The mutual mistrust on display before the talks began was also evident among ordinary Iranians, with one 30-year-old Tehran resident, speaking anonymously to AFP, expressing skepticism about the US approach. „We should not take Trump so seriously. He wants to wipe a civilization off the map and twelve hours later, puts in place a ceasefire that is based on nothing” — Anonymous Tehran resident via Courrier international Whether the two delegations will be able to move past the preconditions and mutual suspicion to reach substantive agreement remains the central question hanging over the Islamabad talks.

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