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Context of the Negotiations
ISLAMABAD: The United States and Iran have initiated face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan as of Saturday, following a fragile two-week ceasefire in a conflict that has resulted in thousands of casualties and disrupted global markets. This marks the seventh week of the ongoing war.
Details of the High-Level Engagement
The White House has affirmed the direct nature of these talks, representing a rare instance of high-level engagement between the US and Iranian governments. Iran’s state-run news agency reported that three-party discussions involving Pakistan commenced after Iranian preconditions were fulfilled, including a reduction in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon.
Key Delegates and Meetings
According to a senior official from the Shehbaz administration, formal negotiations officially began on Saturday evening following separate meetings between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and delegations from the US and Iran. The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, and the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, are deliberating on how to maintain the ceasefire, which is under threat due to significant disagreements and ongoing Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
High-Profile Reception
Vice President Vance, accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived in Islamabad shortly after Qalibaf. Both delegations were welcomed by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi.
Regional Cooperation for Successful Dialogue
Notably, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was also part of the delegation. The most direct US-Iran contact since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 occurred in September 2013, when President Barack Obama contacted newly elected President Hassan Rouhani to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. Recent high-level discussions took place between Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif during these negotiations.
Iran’s Position in the Talks
During the meetings, the Iranian delegation reinforced their earlier proposals, stating they had presented certain elements of their plan as “red lines.” This includes demands for compensation related to damages caused by US-Israeli strikes that initiated the conflict on February 28.
International Involvement
Reflecting the high stakes of the negotiations, officials from China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have gathered in Islamabad to facilitate these talks indirectly. However, they chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the discussions.
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