The United States and Iran are supposed to hold talks this weekend in Islamabad, under the mediation of the Pakistani mediator, to transform a fragile agreement into lasting peace after a war that shook the global economy. The ceasefire agreed upon between Washington and Tehran came into effect on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. It expires on April 22.
Pakistan is taking the lead in mediating due to its good relations with both parties. Iran was the first country to recognize Pakistan after its independence in 1947. The two neighbors share a 900 km border as well as deep historical, cultural, and religious ties. Islamabad represents Iran’s diplomatic interests in Washington in the absence of an Iranian embassy and has a population of over 20 million Shiite Muslims, the second-largest community in the world after Iran.
Islamabad also maintains close relations with Washington, Riyadh, and Beijing. Donald Trump stated that China played a role in persuading Iran to negotiate. “Hope was fading, but China intervened and convinced Iran to accept a preliminary ceasefire,” confirmed a senior Pakistani official.
The gap between the parties remains significant. The American proposal, with fifteen points, focuses on Iranian enriched uranium, ballistic missiles, easing sanctions, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian plan, with ten points, demands control of the strait, tolls for ships passing through, an end to military operations in the region, and the lifting of sanctions. The Soufan Center predicts that Iran’s refusal to meet long-standing US nuclear demands will likely prevent an agreement in Islamabad.
Lebanon is also a major sticking point. Israel continues to strike Hezbollah in Lebanon despite the ceasefire, claiming that Lebanon is not part of the truce. On Thursday, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian warned that Israeli strikes in Lebanon were making the negotiations “meaningless.”
The negotiators involved in these high-level talks are the highest since Secretary of State John Kerry negotiated the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, later denounced by Donald Trump. J.D. Vance will lead the American team, with Commissioner Steve Witkoff and President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Vice President J. D. Vance expressed the desire for positive negotiations with Iran before departing for Pakistan.
The Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad on Friday, including Parliament President Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. This delegation sees the talks as an implicit admission by the US that the regime cannot be overthrown by external powers, noted the Soufan Center.
The Pakistani government has not confirmed the exact location or start date of the talks, with high security measures in place in the capital. The talks are expected to remain indirect, with delegations in separate rooms and Pakistani intermediaries shuttling between them, as in previous discussions.
