The United States and Iran will hold direct talks in Islamabad today to end weeks of conflict in the West Asia region. The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, alongside US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner.
Iran will be represented by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He is among the highest-ranking officials remaining in leadership following Israeli strikes that reportedly killed several senior figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Talks are expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme, ballistic missile development, and the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds of oil tankers remain stranded or delayed.
The negotiations follow a two-week ceasefire window announced by President Trump after what the administration described as a decisive military campaign against Iran. The strategic Strait of Hormuz remains a key point of tension. Iran is also seeking guarantees of a more permanent end to hostilities, beyond the limited ceasefire framework currently on offer from the US.
Tehran has proposed a 10-point framework calling for control over the Strait of Hormuz, withdrawal of US forces from regional bases, recognition of its right to enrich uranium, and an end to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon. US officials have said the proposal is not aligned with Washington’s position, though President Trump has described it as “a workable basis on which to negotiate”. A White House official, however, said key demands fall outside the US framework.
Washington had earlier circulated a 15-point proposal addressing nuclear and missile restrictions as well as maritime security. In addition to US-Iran talks, Israel-Lebanon negotiations are also expected to begin next week at the State Department in Washington – a potential boost to West Asia ceasefire efforts. This came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has authorised direct negotiations with Lebanon “as soon as possible” aimed at disarming Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants and establishing relations between the neighbours.
