US Vice President JD Vance Arrives In Pakistan For Iran Peace Talks In Islamabad

A US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, for high-level talks with Iranian representatives for the first such meeting since the war began more than a month ago, which will test whether they can shore up a fragile ceasefire and pave the way for peace.

Vice President Vance is leading a delegation to meet with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to discuss a potential de-escalation of regional conflict. Security too has been has been tightened across Islamabad ahead of US-Iran talks. 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.

Earlier, a 71-member Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad for high-stakes ceasefire talks with the United States. The delegation headed by Ghalibaf also includes key figures, including Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam, and senior security official Ali Akbar Ahmadian.

The talks are expected to revolve around a 15-point proposal submitted by Washington, with Tehran responding through a 10-point counterproposal. Key US demands include Iran giving up its enriched uranium stockpile and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, meanwhile, is pushing for control over the strait, potential toll mechanisms, an end to regional military operations, and the lifting of sanctions.

Meanwhile, amid diplomatic efforts, US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) also warned that the United States is prepared to launch an intense military strike on Iran using its "best ammunition" if peace negotiations in Islamabad fail. In a phone interview with the New York Post, Trump indicated that clarity regarding the success of the negotiations would emerge within the next 24 hours. "We're going to find out in about 24 hours. We're going to know soon," Trump said during the phone interview when asked whether he believed the talks would be successful.