American and Iranian negotiators began direct peace talks in Islamabad Saturday, marking the first high-level diplomatic engagement since a devastating six-week war erupted across the Middle East in late February.
Vice President JD Vance leads the US delegation alongside Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf heads Tehran's team with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The negotiations are taking place at Islamabad's Serena Hotel during a two-week ceasefire that Pakistan brokered on April 8. The conflict began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 and quickly spread across the region, sending shockwaves through global markets.
Appreciating Iran's engagement in the Islamabad Talks, the prime minister affirmed Pakistan's sincere resolve to continue playing its role as a mediator to help build momentum towards achieving meaningful results in the interest of regional and global peace and stability
Prime Minister's Office statement — Dawn
Technical committees covering economic, military, legal, and nuclear issues have joined the main negotiators. Iranian state media confirmed the talks have entered an expert-level phase to finalize technical details.
NPR frames the talks as a diplomatic breakthrough after weeks of intensive behind-the-scenes efforts, emphasizing the senior-level participation with Vice President Vance leading the delegation. The outlet presents the negotiations as a measured response to regional crisis without taking sides on the underlying conflict's merits.