US-Iran Direct Negotiations Set for Islamabad
The talks, which may stretch across several days, will be hosted at a fortified military facility in the Pakistani capital under the command of the Pakistani army — a reflection of the extraordinary security demands surrounding the high-stakes encounter. Islamabad steps into the role of mediator after having already helped broker a tenuous two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
The format of the negotiations will blend direct and indirect exchanges, with both delegations also holding separate consultations with the Pakistani side. "The two sides will also sit face to face, and hold separate talks with the Pakistani side," one source said, adding the discussions could continue for "several days" given the "complex nature of the issue."
A second source, however, struck a more cautious note on timing: direct talks could last "not more than two to three days due to security concerns," the source said.
No fixed deadline has been set for the negotiations, underscoring the open-ended and delicate nature of what both sides are being asked to resolve.
The White House has confirmed that Vice President JD Vance will head the US delegation, joined by President Donald Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — a high-powered team that signals Washington's seriousness about securing a durable deal.
On the Iranian side, Pakistani sources said the delegation is expected to include Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf, along with four senior commanders from Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Tehran has yet to officially confirm the makeup of its delegation.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will represent Islamabad at the table. Both visiting delegations are also expected to make courtesy calls on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, sources added.
First High-Level US Visit to Pakistan Since 2011
Vance's arrival would represent the most senior American visit to Pakistan in over a decade — the last comparable trip being then-Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Islamabad in January 2011. The last sitting US president to set foot in Pakistan was George W. Bush, who made a two-day visit between March 3 and March 4 in 2006, at a time when American and NATO forces were actively engaged in the war in neighboring Afghanistan.
On the ground in Islamabad, the security transformation is already visible and sweeping. Schools, universities, and government offices have been shuttered through the weekend. Major arterial roads connecting to the diplomatic enclave have been sealed off since Thursday morning, along with key state institutions including the Prime Minister's Office, the President's House, the Supreme Court, and the Foreign Ministry — a city effectively placed on lockdown ahead of one of the most consequential diplomatic gatherings in recent memory.
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