Direct talks between the United States and Iran are set to begin in Pakistan within hours, marking the first such engagement since hostilities erupted more than six weeks ago. However, sharp differences over nuclear policy and sanctions cloud prospects for a breakthrough.
A US delegation led by Vice-President JD Vance has arrived in Islamabad for negotiations aimed at reinforcing a fragile two-week ceasefire and preventing further escalation. The American team also includes Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, while military representation is also reported.
The Iranian delegation, headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, reached Islamabad earlier in the day.
The structure of the talks remains unclear, underlining deep mistrust between the two sides. Pakistan has prepared for both direct, face-to-face negotiations and indirect talks, where delegations would remain in separate rooms with intermediaries shuttling messages.
Ghalibaf said Iran had entered the talks with “goodwill” but warned that Tehran remained wary of Washington, citing past “broken promises” and attacks during earlier negotiations.
Iran has also set preconditions, including a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of its blocked financial assets, before formal negotiations can begin.
JD Vance was joined in Islamabad by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Iran’s 71-member delegation will be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, a veteran of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and also include Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and central bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati.
“We have goodwill, but we do not have trust,” Ghalibaf told reporters after arriving in Islamabad, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. “In the upcoming negotiations, if the American side is prepared for a genuine agreement and to grant the rights of the Iranian nation, they will see readiness for an agreement from us as well.”
The talks follow a two-week ceasefire announced earlier this week. However, tensions remain elevated, with Iran reimposing restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz amid intensified Israeli operations in Lebanon.
Tehran views the truce as part of a broader regional de-escalation, while the US and Israel see it as a limited, bilateral arrangement focused solely on Iran.
US President Donald Trump has warned Tehran against delaying tactics, stating that Iran has limited leverage beyond its control over key oil transit routes.
At the heart of the dispute are long-standing disagreements over Iran’s nuclear programme and US sanctions.
Tehran insists on its right to peaceful uranium enrichment and is seeking an immediate lifting of sanctions. Washington, however, demands strict limits on Iran’s nuclear capabilities and favours a phased sanctions relief approach tied to verifiable concessions.
Analysts say these positions remain fundamentally incompatible, making a quick resolution unlikely.
Experts believe the most realistic outcome in the near term is simply sustaining dialogue.
Even a limited success — such as preventing a breakdown in talks during the initial 14-day window — would be seen as a positive step, potentially paving the way for extended negotiations.
With heavy security in place across Islamabad and diplomatic stakes high, the talks are being viewed as a critical, make-or-break moment in efforts to stabilise a volatile regional conflict.