US and Iran hold talks in Islamabad as Pakistan seeks to broker peace deal

Lead

Senior diplomats from the United States and Iran met face to face in Islamabad on Saturday for peace talks brokered by Pakistan, marking the highest-level direct engagement between the two nations in decades. The negotiations come after days of escalating violence across the region and follow a Pakistan-mediated two-week ceasefire agreed earlier this week.

Coverage comparison

The talks, described by multiple outlets as a potential turning point in regional diplomacy, opened with both delegations sitting at the same table in the presence of Pakistani mediators. According to Pakistani state television, as reported by The Guardian, US and Iranian officials were "sitting directly at the same table," a detail later confirmed by the White House. The first round of discussions lasted approximately two hours, followed by a second round of more technical negotiations, a political source told The Guardian, dividing focus between security, financial issues, and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian delegation in Islamabad is being led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as confirmed by Al Jazeera. US Vice President JD Vance is leading the American side, joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, who has been credited with brokering the earlier ceasefire, was also present in the room, according to Pakistani sources cited by The Guardian.

Key claims

• US and Iranian officials met face to face at the highest level since 1979, according to multiple reports.
• At least 357 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Wednesday in Lebanon, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry as cited by Al Jazeera — a figure reported by a single source and not yet independently verified.
• Iran has demanded a truce in Lebanon and the release of its blocked assets as part of any agreement, a claim carried by a single outlet and not yet independently confirmed.
• China may offer guarantees to help secure a deal, according to a report from The Guardian.
• Direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors were due to be held at the US State Department, as reported by Lebanon's presidency in a statement covered by Al Jazeera.

Perspectives

The negotiations opened with a mix of cautious optimism and deep-seated scepticism. A senior Iranian foreign policy analyst speaking to Al Jazeera suggested that Iranians remain deeply sceptical ahead of the negotiations, despite Tehran believing it holds leverage, including potential influence over the Strait of Hormuz. The same source noted, however, that the US and Iran were seen as holding "leverage" in different areas, with both sides demanding concessions.

The US has reportedly asked Israel to halt attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon to avoid derailing the negotiations, though this claim has not been independently confirmed. Iran has framed the Israeli strikes on Lebanon as a direct challenge to the ceasefire, with Tehran's parliamentary speaker reportedly demanding a truce in Lebanon as a precondition for broader discussions.

Pakistan's role as mediator has been central to the talks' momentum. According to Al Jazeera's report, Pakistan is aiming for a "realistic" outcome, with officials quoted saying the primary goal is to secure an agreement to continue dialogue rather than achieve a breakthrough in a single round. Zamir Akram, Pakistan's former ambassador to the UN, told Al Jazeera: "Pakistan has succeeded in getting them together. We got them to sit at a table. Now it is for the parties to decide whether they are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to reach an eventual solution."

Ahmed Rashid, a prominent Pakistani journalist and author, said on his YouTube channel that there is "modest" hope in Islamabad. "The two sides haven't spoken to each other in 46 years. That's a long time," he said, adding that the fact they are in the same room is testament to the urgency they see on the ground.

The talks follow the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, an event that escalated tensions to their highest point in decades, as the international community watches to see whether the two former adversaries can translate this diplomatic opening into a lasting ceasefire.

As the delegations broke for a working dinner hosted by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the path to de-escalation and lasting peace will depend on the willingness of the parties to move beyond their stated positions.