US and Iranian Delegations Arrive in Islamabad for ‘Decisive’ Peace Talks

Vice President JD Vance and Iranian officials have landed in the Pakistani capital for the highest-level negotiations in years, aimed at ending a war that has paralyzed global energy markets. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied US Vice President JD Vance (C) walks with Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshall Asim Munir (L) and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar after arriving for talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad on April 11, 2026. (Photo by Jacquelyn MARTIN / POOL / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google High-level delegations from the United States and Iran arrived in Islamabad on Saturday, April 11, to begin what Pakistani officials have called a “decisive stage” in negotiations to end the six-week-old conflict in the Middle East, Sky News reported. The American team is led by Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They are set to hold indirect talks with an Iranian delegation headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The negotiations, brokered by Pakistan with significant diplomatic backing from China , are taking place under a fragile two-week ceasefire set to expire on April 22. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Before the first round of discussions, Tehran put forward two primary conditions: a complete ceasefire in Lebanon and the unfreezing of Iranian assets. President Masoud Pezeshkian had previously warned that continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon rendered the talks “meaningless,” though Vice President Vance suggested there may have been a “legitimate misunderstanding” regarding whether Lebanon was included in the initial truce. President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the main priority for any lasting agreement remains the restriction of Iran’s nuclear program . While the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is a major concern for global trade, Trump expressed confidence that the waterway – where traffic remains nearly paralyzed due to Iranian threats and proposed toll fees – would be opened “fairly soon” and “automatically,” regardless of Tehran’s specific actions. Other Topics of Interest War in the Middle East: latest developments US President Donald Trump vowed to have the Strait of Hormuz open “with or without” Iran’s cooperation and said his top priority in peace talks was to ensure Tehran cannot have a nuclear weapon. “We are at a decisive stage where complex issues must be resolved through agreements,” said Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The talks are expected to follow a format where Pakistani officials shuttle proposals between delegations sitting in separate rooms, mirroring previous mediation efforts in Oman. The conflict , which began on Feb. 28, has already claimed over 2,000 lives and sent global oil prices hovering near $100 a barrel. As Islamabad remains under a high-security lockdown, financial markets are closely watching for any signs of a breakthrough that could stabilize energy supplies and prevent a return to full-scale hostilities. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.