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A senior Iranian delegation has arrived in Pakistan’s Capital, Islamabad, ahead of planned ceasefire-related discussions with the United States, Iranian state media reported on Friday.
State broadcaster IRIB said the delegation includes parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior security and economic officials. It added that Tehran is still insisting that negotiations will only proceed if Washington agrees to its preconditions.
Ghalibaf has previously linked any talks to specific demands, including progress on a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iranian funds held abroad, which he said must be addressed before formal engagement with the US side led by Vice President JD Vance.
Officials say the Islamabad discussions are expected to focus on sensitive issues such as Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme and the movement of goods through the Strait of Hormuz.
Since the two-week ceasefire started, tensions have remained high over the waterway, with US President Donald Trump criticising Iran’s approach and saying the country was relying on leverage through control of key maritime routes.
Trump stated that Iran has “no cards” in the talks “other than a short-term extortion of the World by using International Waterways”.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the planned talks, describing them as a difficult but necessary phase in ongoing diplomatic efforts.
He said that while a temporary halt in hostilities had been reached, securing a lasting agreement would require tougher negotiations and sustained engagement from all parties.
“A temporary ceasefire has been announced, but now an even more difficult stage lies ahead: the stage of achieving a lasting ceasefire, of resolving complicated issues through negotiations.
“This is that stage which, in English, is called the equivalent of make or break.”
