Pakistan hosts high-stakes US-Iran talks as PM Sharif meets JD Vance

Pakistan stepped into the diplomatic spotlight on Saturday as high-stakes talks between the United States and Iran opened in Islamabad, aimed at easing escalating tensions in the Middle East.

On the sidelines of the opening session, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met U.S. Vice President JD Vance, underscoring Islamabad’s role as a facilitator between the two adversaries.

Vance was accompanied by senior officials including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, while Sharif was joined by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Sharif welcomed the participation of both delegations and described the talks as a potential “stepping stone toward durable peace” in a region long marked by conflict. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting dialogue between Washington and Tehran and expressed hope for tangible progress.

Separately, an Iranian delegation also met Sharif ahead of its engagement with U.S. officials. Iran’s state broadcaster said arrangements for the negotiations would be finalized following the meeting.

The Iranian delegation, led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, arrived overnight and earlier held talks with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.

Vance, who is leading the U.S. delegation, arrived in Islamabad after a brief stop in Paris. Speaking before departure, he said Washington was open to negotiations if Tehran engaged in good faith, but warned the United States would not respond favorably to any perceived attempts at deception.

Ghalibaf, meanwhile, struck a cautious tone on arrival. “We have good intentions but we do not trust,” he said, according to Iranian state media, citing past failed negotiations with Washington.

Despite the diplomatic push, both sides remain divided on key issues, including the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil shipments.

The talks come amid a fragile ceasefire already under strain, with continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon. On Wednesday, Israel carried out its heaviest bombardment since Hezbollah entered the conflict in early March, less than 48 hours after the truce took effect.

Sharif, whose government helped bring the two sides to the table, cautioned that negotiations would be difficult. “An even more difficult stage lies ahead,” he said, describing the process as a “make or break” moment.

It was not immediately clear when formal negotiations between the U.S. and Iranian delegations would begin.

Islamabad plays host

Iran, which has sent a delegation of more than 70 members, has insisted that any truce include Lebanon and the unfreezing of its overseas assets - conditions that have yet to be met.

On the U.S. side, President Donald Trump has demanded the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as part of a proposed two-week ceasefire. The waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of global crude oil passes, remains disrupted, with Trump vowing it would reopen “with or without” Iran’s cooperation.

He also reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remained Washington’s top priority.

Security in Islamabad was tight, with heavy deployments of police and paramilitary forces and road closures around the capital’s diplomatic enclave. A major luxury hotel expected to host delegations was cleared of regular guests.

It was not immediately clear whether the two sides would hold direct talks or adopt an indirect format similar to earlier Oman-mediated negotiations.

Pakistan has assembled a team of subject-matter experts to assist discussions on navigation, nuclear issues and other key areas, according to a diplomatic source.

Regional players including Egypt, Turkey and China are also closely watching developments, with Beijing seen as a potential guarantor of any agreement. However, it remains unclear whether China will have a direct role in the talks.

Violence in Lebanon

Efforts toward a lasting ceasefire are further complicated by disagreements over the scope of the truce. Israel maintains that the current arrangement does not extend to Lebanon, a position at odds with Iran and Pakistan.

Israeli air strikes continued on Friday against Iran-backed Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, despite Tehran’s calls for a halt as part of broader ceasefire conditions.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said discussions with Lebanon’s government would take place in Washington next week, but ruled out ceasefire talks with Hezbollah.

Hezbollah said it had carried out overnight drone and rocket attacks on northern Israel and against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

In Tehran, public scepticism remains. A 30-year-old resident told AFP he doubted the talks would yield results, describing most of Trump’s statements as “pure noise and nonsense.”