Islamabad, April 11 — Pakistan has become the focus of international diplomacy as senior delegations from the United States and Iran arrived in Islamabad for high-stakes negotiations aimed at strengthening a fragile ceasefire after six weeks of war in the Middle East.
The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, arrived on Saturday along with President Donald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office. They were welcomed at the airport by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker.
Dar welcomed the American delegation and praised Washington’s efforts to restore regional and global peace. He expressed hope that all parties would engage in constructive dialogue and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to helping facilitate a lasting and durable resolution to the conflict.
Speaking before his arrival, Vance said the United States was entering the talks with cautious optimism.
“We’re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive,” he said, while adding that meaningful progress would depend on Iran’s willingness to negotiate in good faith.
The Iranian delegation, which arrived late Friday, includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf. Pakistani officials also received them with high-level diplomatic protocol, signaling the significance of the talks.
The negotiations come after a devastating conflict that has left thousands dead, disrupted energy supplies, and raised fears of a wider economic slowdown. Fighting between the US and Iran, intensified by Israeli and American airstrikes on Iranian targets and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf, has shaken the region and the global economy.
A temporary two-week ceasefire is currently in place. The agreement seeks to halt major military operations and reopen critical trade routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil passage.
At the heart of the discussions is Iran’s reported 10-point peace proposal, which includes issues such as sanctions relief, non-aggression commitments, maritime security, and an end to hostilities across multiple fronts.
Islamabad has been placed under extraordinary security measures ahead of the talks, with major roads sealed and heavy deployment of security personnel across the city. The meeting venue has not been publicly disclosed.
Pakistan’s role as host and mediator highlights its growing diplomatic importance in efforts to de-escalate one of the most dangerous crises in the region in recent years.
