US VP JD Vance meets PM Shehbaz ahead of ‘Islamabad Talks’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met US Vice President JD Vance, along with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad on Saturday.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the prime minister was assisted by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

“Commending the commitment of both delegations to engage constructively, the prime minister expressed the hope that these talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region,” read the statement.

PM Shehbaz reiterated that Pakistan looked forward to continuing its facilitation of both sides in making progress towards sustainable peace in the region, it added.

Vance landed in Islamabad as part of a US delegation to discuss US-Iran ceasefire dubbed the ‘Islamabad Talks 2026’, the Foreign Office said in a statement earlier.

The US delegation was received by FM Dar, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Naqvi upon arrival, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker was also present to receive the vice president.

Welcoming Vance, Dar commended US commitment to achieving lasting regional and global peace and stability. He “expressed hope that parties would engage constructively, and reiterated Pakistan’s desire to continue facilitating the parties towards reaching lasting and durable solution to the conflict,” the statement read.

Vance departed for Pakistan a day earlier to attend the ‘Islamabad Talks’. and said that America was looking forward to the negotiation with Iran and expressed hope that it would be positive.

“We’re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive. If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith and extend an open hand, that’s one thing. If they’re going to try to play us, they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive. The president has given us some pretty clear guidelines, and we’ll see how it goes,” said JD Vance.

Washington and Tehran are due to begin negotiations seeking to end the six-week-old Iran war that has killed thousands of people across the Middle East, disrupted energy supplies, fed inflation and slowed the global economy.

The Iranian delegation, consisting of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, also arrived in Pakistan late Friday night to attend the high-stakes negotiation talks with the US.

The FO said the “high-powered delegation” was led by Ghalibaf and was received by Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Naqvi, and CDF Munir. It added Dar expressed the hope that the parties would “engage constructively” and reiterated Pakistan’s desire to continue facilitating them towards reaching a lasting and durable solution to the conflict.

Pakistan is set to host what could prove to be one of the most consequential diplomatic engagements in recent history, as senior leaders from the US and Iran arrive in Islamabad for high-stakes negotiations following a devastating six-week war that has left thousands dead and pushed the global economy to the brink of recession.

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Islamabad has effectively been placed under an unprecedented security lockdown ahead of the talks. Key routes have been sealed, security personnel heavily deployed, and surveillance heightened to ensure the safety of visiting dignitaries. Officials say the negotiations will take place at a secure, undisclosed location, away from the media spotlight.

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the region. Last month, the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, which prompted Tehran to retaliate with attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf. This escalation of tensions in the Middle East led to efforts by political and military leadership in Pakistan to de-escalate the situation.

To ease tensions, Pakistan had also hosted a quadrilateral foreign ministers’ meeting in Islamabad, with representatives from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The meeting grabbed the world’s attention and was widely appreciated for Pakistan’s efforts.

Pakistan and China also jointly proposed a five-point initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the broader Middle East.

Perilous ceasefire

A fragile, conditional ceasefire is in place between the US and Iran, agreed after weeks of intense conflict. The deal revolves around a two‑week pause in fighting, largely aimed at halting major military strikes and reopening strategic routes like the Strait of Hormuz — although core disagreements remain unresolved. Both Washington and Tehran have declared the ceasefire a kind of victory, even as they stick to competing demands for a long‑term settlement.

At the centre of the truce is a 10‑point proposal from Iran, which the US has described as a “workable basis” for negotiation. The plan reportedly covers issues like non‑aggression, control and operation of the Strait of Hormuz, lifting sanctions, and cessation of hostilities on multiple fronts — including calls for an end to wars in related theatres. This framework is now set to guide peace talks, with Pakistan expected to host negotiations aimed at turning the temporary ceasefire into a more durable peace.