Senior Iranian and US delegations met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Saturday to begin talks towards an agreement to end the Middle East war triggered by US-Israeli attacks on Tehran six weeks ago.
With talks ongoing at Islamabad’s Serena Hotel, Iranian media said the format of the talks going forward has not yet been determined, and it is unclear whether the two sides will meet face-to-face or continue exchanging messages through Pakistanis.
But both sides had reached the venue when the Iranian delegation led by Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met Sharif, followed by US Vice President JD Vance, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Sharif’s office said, “Appreciating the commitment of both delegations to engage constructively, the Prime Minister expressed hope that these talks will serve as a step towards durable peace in the region.”
“The Prime Minister reiterated that Pakistan looks forward to continuing its facilitation to both sides for progress towards lasting peace in the region.”