Iran delegation arrives for truce talks
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf leads ceasefire negotiations with U.S.
An Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf arrived in Islamabad to begin talks with US representatives under a mediated two‑week ceasefire. The team includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Defense Council Secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian and Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati, and comprises security, political, military, economic and legal committees. Iranian officials say negotiations will proceed only if Washington meets preconditions, chiefly a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of blocked Iranian assets.
Qalibaf reiterated deep mistrust of the United States, citing past diplomatic episodes followed by strikes, and warned Tehran will abandon talks it deems a “deception operation.” Iran has submitted a 10‑point proposal seeking guarantees such as withdrawal of foreign forces, sanctions relief and protections for maritime routes; Washington has described those proposals as a potential negotiation basis. Mediators hope concrete confidence measures — notably humanitarian access and asset unfreezing — can be secured before the ceasefire lapses.
Tehran frames diplomacy as an extension of its strategic pressure, not a surrender of leverage gained during recent retaliatory strikes. Success in Islamabad will hinge on bridging profound mutual distrust and converting interim commitments into verifiable steps; failure to meet Iran’s conditions risks derailing talks and prompting renewed escalation, while agreement on immediate measures could open a path toward broader negotiations on regional security.
