Iranian delegation reaches Pakistan for talks with US; ceasefire in Lebanon in focus | Top Updates
The Iranian delegation is led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and also includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati and others. It arrived in Islamabad on Friday.
An Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf arrived here in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Friday late-night for talks with the United States (US) to end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East that disrupted global supply lines and the world's economy. The Iranian delegation was welcomed by top Pakistani officials, including Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, upon their arrival.
The delegation, which comprises Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati, and others, will meet US Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have been dispatched by the president to reach a peace deal.
Ahead of the talks, Trump has warned Iran of fresh attacks if the talks fail. He has also vowed to open the Strait of Hormuz "with or without" the support of Iran, while adding that his administration's top priority is to ensure that the Islamic Republic fails to make a nuclear weapon.
Vance warns Iran against 'playing' with US
Before his departure from Washington in the Air Force Two, Vance also issued a stern warning to Iran and said that the Islamic Republic should not 'play' with the US. Without elaborating much, the US V-P said he has received clear guidelines from Trump on how the talks should go in Islamabad.
"If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we're certainly willing to extend the open hand," Vance told reporters. "If they're gonna try and play us, then they're gonna find that the negotiating team is not that receptive."
Iran's push for ceasefire in Lebanon
Iran has been equally wary of talks with the US and said it has only met with "broken promises" in negotiating with the Americans. "We have good intentions but we do not trust," Ghalibaf was quoted as saying by Iranian state TV. "Our experience in negotiating with the Americans has always been met with failure and broken promises."
Iran has put forth a couple of preconditions for the talks: a ceasefire in Lebanon and unfreezing of its assets. A ceasefire in Lebanon has been a bone of contention, with Israel refusing to stop its hostilities in the Middle East; although it has been asked by Trump to stop the strikes. Israel may hold discussions with Lebanon in Washington next week about a ceasefire, but it has stressed that it will not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah.
Israel "agreed to begin formal peace negotiations" with the Lebanese government, with which it has no diplomatic relations, said Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, in a statement. "Israel refused to discuss a ceasefire with the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which continues to attack Israel and is the main obstacle to peace between the two countries."
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