Peace talk in Islamabad begins

Representatives from the United States and Iran held high-stakes negotiations in Pakistan’s capital on Saturday, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acting as the mediator in a bid to secure lasting peace in the Middle East.

These talks, aimed at transforming a fragile ceasefire into a “durable peace,” represent the first instance of direct, high-level engagement between the two adversaries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The negotiations take place against the backdrop of a devastating six-week war that began on February 28, which sent global energy markets into a tailspin and caused significant casualties across the Middle East.

The “Islamabad Talks” were made possible by a two-week temporary
ceasefire brokered by Pakistan on April 8.

The day began with the arrival of US Vice President JD Vance at Nur Khan Air Base, where he was greeted by Pakistani officials, including Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Vance leads a delegation that includes Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Before departing Washington, Vance expressed a cautious readiness for diplomacy, stating, “If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand.

If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive”.

The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, arrived early Saturday morning after last-minute concerns regarding Israeli strikes in Lebanon were addressed.

Ghalibaf, heading a team of over 70 officials, voiced the deep-seated skepticism that defines the relationship. “We have good intentions but we do not trust,” Ghalibaf told state media upon his arrival.

“Our experience in negotiating with the Americans has always been met with failure and broken promises,” he added.

Pakistan has assumed a central role as a neutral facilitator. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held separate bilateral meetings with both delegations at the Serena Hotel before the commencement of the joint talks.

Following his meeting with the US team, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stated that Sharif “expressed the hope that these talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region”.

In his meeting with the Iranian representatives, Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s “sincere resolve to continue playing its role as a mediator to help build momentum towards achieving meaningful results in the interest of regional and global peace and stability”.

While the talks were initially expected to be “proximity talks” – where mediators relay messages between separate rooms – sources close to the mediation indicated that the parties eventually moved into direct negotiations with Pakistani mediators present.

The United States is prioritizing the permanent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.

US President Donald Trump has issued stern warnings from Washington, claiming the US is already “clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favour to Countries all over the world” and asserting that the Iranians “have no cards” left to play.

Trump warned that military action could resume if the talks fail, noting, “if we don’t have a deal, we will be using [the best weapons ever made], and we will be using them very effectively”.

Iran, conversely, has arrived with its own set of “red lines.” Ghalibaf emphasised that negotiations must address a ceasefire in Lebanon – which Iran views as part of the current truce despite US and Israeli denials – and the release of approximately $7 billion in frozen Iranian assets.

“Two of the measures mutually agreed upon between the parties have yet to be implemented: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran’s blocked assets prior to the commencement of negotiations.

These two matters must be fulfilled before negotiations begin,” Ghalibaf posted on social media.

The emotional weight of the conflict was visible on the Iranian flight to Islamabad.

The delegation, named “Minab 168,” occupied seats alongside blood-soaked school bags and shoes belonging to victims of the February 28 strike on the Shajareh Tayyibeh girls’ school in Minab.

These relics served as a stark reminder of the reported 160 children killed on the first day of the war.

The Iranian Embassy in Sierra Leone noted on social media that these victims are “never forgotten” as the talks begin.

The urgency of the talks is underscored by the severe economic impact of the war. In the United States, inflation surged to a 3.3 per cent annual rate in March due to the energy shock.

Regional powers are watching closely. Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan traveled to Islamabad on Saturday in a show of “economic support” for Pakistan as it hosts the high-stakes summit.

Russia has also urged all participants to adopt a “responsible approach” and avoid undermining the rare diplomatic opening.

While the arrival of the delegations represents a significant diplomatic achievement, analysts remain cautious.

Simbal Khan, a regional security analyst, noted she is “still skeptical” that the engagement will immediately translate into long-term peace, describing it instead as “the beginning of the end of this phase of war”.

With the conclusion of the first day of the Islamabad Talks, the world would wait to see if these sessions can indeed become the stepping stone to a lasting and durable solution.