Negotiations in Pakistan are underway, but disagreement exists regarding direct talks between American and Iranian representatives, according to reports.
Iranian-US Meeting Not Planned
Ismail Baqael reported that a meeting between representatives of Iran and the United States is not currently scheduled.
Iranian assessments will be conveyed to Pakistan, according to a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Diplomatic Presence in Islamabad
The head of Iranian diplomacy, Abbas Aragczi, has arrived in the Pakistani capital to meet exclusively with “high-ranking representatives” of Pakistan.
Conflicting Reports on US-Iran Talks
ABC News, citing a high-ranking Pakistani government official, reports that US and Iranian delegations will hold separate meetings with Pakistani officials over the weekend. Iranian state media also indicated that “negotiations with the Americans are not on the agenda.”
US Delegation to Pakistan
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that on Saturday morning, President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan for talks with an Iranian delegation.
According to Leavitt, “The Iranians reached out, as the President appealed to them, and requested a personal conversation.”
“Steve and Jared will see what they have to say. We hope this will be a productive conversation and that we can move this issue forward, toward an agreement,” Leavitt emphasized in an interview with Fox News. CNN notes that Vice President J.D. Vance is prepared to travel to Islamabad if negotiations progress.
Trump on War and Iranian Offer
This week, Trump has not presented a clear timeline for ending the war. On Friday, he stated that Iran is preparing an offer for the US, but he does not yet know the details.
The day before, he suggested that the unclear situation within Iranian leadership is hindering negotiations.
Ceasefire Without Expiration Date
Trump has not set an expiration date for the ceasefire.
Previous Negotiations and Current Ceasefire
The previous round of US-Iran peace negotiations took place on April 11, also in Islamabad, but ended in failure. A ceasefire in the US-Israel-Iran war has been in effect since April 8 and was extended this week by Donald Trump. His spokesperson emphasized on Wednesday that the American president has not set a date for the ceasefire to expire.
Origins of the Conflict
The war in the Middle East began on February 28 with airstrikes by Israel and the US against Iran. Tehran responded with attacks on both Israel and Arab states in the Persian Gulf region, including US military bases and civilian facilities such as airports and petrochemical installations.
Iran also blocked free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, halting oil exports from the Middle East.
