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US, Iranian delegations expected in Pakistan on Friday; White House says first round of talks to be held on Saturday

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Tehran's participation in peace talks with the US, to be hosted by Pakistan. Delegations from both sides are expected in Islamabad on Friday, following a ceasefire announcement. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited the delegations to further negotiate a conclusive agreement.

By Tertius News AI Desk 1 outlet · 3 articles Version 1 Coverage Apr 8, 2026 Published Aug 13

Lead

Pakistan is set to host US and Iranian delegations on Friday for talks aimed at reaching a peaceful settlement to their conflict, following a ceasefire announcement that took effect earlier this week. The development came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Tehran's participation in the negotiations during a phone call with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday.

Coverage Comparison

Multiple reports from Dawn, Pakistan's leading English-language daily, detail the arrangements for the talks. All three reports align on the core facts: the delegations' arrival on Friday, the Iranian president's confirmation of participation, and Pakistan's role as host. The reports also note that US President Donald Trump announced a two-week suspension of bombing of Iran, contingent on Tehran fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and that Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a statement on behalf of Iran's Supreme National Security Council declaring that if attacks against the country were halted, it would cease its defensive operations.

Key Claims

Pakistan to host talks: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Wednesday that US and Iranian delegations would visit Pakistan on Friday, April 10, at his invitation, to negotiate a peaceful settlement. He expressed hope that the talks would be successful.
Iran confirms participation: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, during a phone call with PM Shehbaz, confirmed that Iran would participate in the negotiations in Islamabad. The Prime Minister's Office described the conversation as "warm and cordial" and noted it lasted over 45 minutes.
Ceasefire agreement: Pakistan announced that Iran and the US, along with their allies, had agreed to an immediate ceasefire, including in Lebanon, effective immediately. PM Shehbaz conveyed appreciation for Iran's agreement to the ceasefire and its acceptance of Pakistan's offer to host negotiations.
US commitment: US President Donald Trump announced he would suspend bombing of Iran for two weeks if Tehran fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by multiple sources.
Iran's stance: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, on behalf of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated that if attacks against the country were halted, Iran would cease its defensive operations.

Perspectives

Pakistan's official perspective: The government, as reported by the Prime Minister's Office, views the ceasefire and upcoming talks as a diplomatic success. PM Shehbaz described the situation as a "shining moment" in Pakistan's history and praised the coordination between political and military leadership, saying he had not seen such unity in his 40-year career. President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the ceasefire, calling it a "timely step" that offers space for dialogue, restraint, and a more stable regional environment.

Iran's stance: According to reports, President Pezeshkian appreciated Pakistan's efforts in bringing about a temporary ceasefire and confirmed Iran's willingness to negotiate. The Iranian leadership, through the Supreme National Security Council, signaled a conditional halt to defensive operations if attacks cease, though the specifics of their negotiating position were not detailed.

US position: The reports cite US President Trump's announcement of a two-week suspension of bombing, indicating a conditional openness to de-escalation. No additional US statements were detailed in the available reports, and it remains unclear what conditions the US may place on the talks beyond the Strait of Hormuz reopening.

Outlook

The talks on Friday represent a significant diplomatic step, with Pakistan acting as an intermediary between the US and Iran. While the ceasefire offers immediate relief, the path to a conclusive agreement remains uncertain. The reports do not specify the agenda or the composition of the delegations, but the invitation to further negotiate "all disputes" suggests a broader scope. The coming days will reveal whether both sides can translate the ceasefire into a durable peace arrangement.

How this outlet told it

Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 10:15 AM UTC

Framing: Iran confirms participation in peace talks — positive

Facts Included:

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Tehran's participation in peace talks with the US in Islamabad
The confirmation came during a phone call with PM Shehbaz Sharif
The conversation was termed 'warm and cordial'
PM Shehbaz conveyed his appreciation for Iran's agreement to the ceasefire and acceptance of Pakistan's offer to host negotiations

Read the source article →

Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 7:15 PM UTC

Framing: US and Iran delegations to visit Pakistan for talks — optimistic

Facts Included:

Delegations from the US and Iran will visit Pakistan on Friday for talks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Tehran's participation in Pakistan-offered peace talks
US President Donald Trump announced he would suspend bombing of Iran for two weeks
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shared a statement on behalf of Iran's Supreme National Security Council

Read the source article →

Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 1:45 PM UTC

Framing: US and Iran delegations to visit Pakistan for talks — positive

Facts Included:

Delegations from the US and Iran will visit Pakistan on Friday for talks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Tehran's participation in Pakistan-offered peace talks
PM Shehbaz invited delegations from both sides to Islamabad on April 10
US President Donald Trump announced he would suspend bombing of Iran for two weeks

Read the source article →

What was claimed, and who backed it

Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.

Claim	Confidence	Status
ClaimIran President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Tehran's participation in peace talks with the US in Islamabad.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 10:15 AM UTC
ClaimThe confirmation came during a phone call with PM Shehbaz Sharif.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 10:15 AM UTC
ClaimPM Shehbaz conveyed his appreciation for Iran's agreement to the ceasefire and acceptance of Pakistan's offer to host negotiations.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 10:15 AM UTC
ClaimDelegations from the US and Iran will visit Pakistan on Friday for talks.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 7:15 PM UTC
ClaimUS President Donald Trump announced he would suspend bombing of Iran for two weeks if Tehran fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 7:15 PM UTC
ClaimIran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shared a statement on behalf of Iran's Supreme National Security Council declaring that if attacks against the country were halted, it would cease its defensive operations.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 7:15 PM UTC
ClaimPM Shehbaz invited delegations from both sides to Islamabad on April 10 to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 1:45 PM UTC
ClaimPresident Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the ceasefire between the US and Iran, terming it a timely step that offers space for dialogue, restraint and a more stable regional environment.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Dawn as of Apr 8, 2026, 1:45 PM UTC

Transparency & Audit Trail

1 outlet · 3 articles consulted: Dawn 8 claims extracted Version 1 Written 2026-08-13