Iran | Pakistan

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Saturday said Tehran was prepared to reach an agreement with Washington, provided it offered what he termed a “genuine” deal and recognised Iran’s rights.

US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Pakistan on Saturday to participate in the Islamabad Talks with Iran, as diplomatic efforts intensify to resolve the ongoing regional conflict.

WASHINGTON: As indirect diplomacy between the United States and Iran converges on Islamabad in the coming hours, the messaging from Washington has settled into a carefully managed tone of cautious optimism—tempered by clear acknowledgment that the process remains fragile. US President Donald Trump, speaking briefly before boarding Air Force One on Friday evening, projected guarded confidence in the American negotiating team while avoiding any suggestion that outcomes were pre-determined. “We’ll see how it turns out. So it’s JD and Steve and Jared. We have a good team, and they meet tomorrow. We’ll see how it all works out,” he said, referring to the delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and senior aides. At the same time, Trump framed the talks in explicitly strategic and transactional terms, suggesting that economic and geopolitical interests tied to regional chokepoints would ultimately shape outcomes. “The strait will open up. If we just left the strait, …(it) is going to open,” he said, adding that th...

US Vice President JD Vance has departed for Islamabad to lead the American delegation in the upcoming Iran–US negotiations being hosted under the mediation of Pakistan.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and a former foreign minister, on Friday said that the lifting of sanctions on Iran would not only benefit Pakistan but also the wider global community.

Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei in his latest written message said that the Islamic republic does not want war with the United States and Israel, but would protect its rights as a nation, state television reported on Thursday. “We did not seek war and we do not want it,” he said in the message read out on state TV, coinciding with 40 days since his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was assassinated on February 28, the first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran. “But we will not renounce our legitimate rights under any circumstances, and in this respect, we consider the entire resistance front as a whole,” he added, in an apparent reference to Lebanon where Israel has been carrying out strikes that it says target Hezbollah. Iran this week agreed to a two-week ceasefire with the United States that could lead to peace negotiations after threats of annihilation from US President Donald Trump. Khamenei told Iranians that they must “not imagine that taking to the streets is no longer necessary” despite the an...

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s mediation that helped bring about a temporary US–Iran ceasefire has drawn global attention, with Islamabad’s envoy to Washington reiterating that the breakthrough was the result of “an intense diplomatic effort that was in progress over the past few weeks.” In an interview with CNN, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said Islamabad’s role was underpinned by trust from all sides, careful consultations, and a commitment to discretion. The interview on Wednesday came as Washington announced dispatching a high‑level negotiating team led by Vice President J.D. Vance to Islamabad to begin formal talks on ending hostilities following the ceasefire announced early Wednesday. China’s quiet but crucial role While Ambassador Sheikh did not map out specific country roles in detail, he acknowledged Beijing’s constructive stance. “China, from the very start, has also been mentioning the exercise of restraint and affording space for diplomacy to both sides,” he told CNN — a comment th...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday assured US Ambassador to Pakistan Natalie Baker of foolproof security for all foreign dignitaries ahead of the US-Iran talks scheduled in Islamabad this week. Pakistan is set to host in-person talks between the US and Iran on Saturday after a two-week ceasefire was announced between the two countries, bringing a pause to the hostilities which broke out on February 28. In a meeting with the US envoy, Naqvi assured her of the security arrangements taken ahead of the talks and stated that the US Vice President JD Vance, US Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner were “our special guests,” according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior. “A comprehensive plan has been prepared to provide foolproof security to all foreign guests in every respect,” the minister was quoted as saying. The US envoy appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic role during the meeting. Meanwhile, the Islamabad Police, in a traffic advisory posted on X, said diversions will be...

High-level delegations from the United States and Iran are scheduled to arrive in the federal capital on Friday for key diplomatic engagements aimed at facilitating dialogue between the two countries.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, terming it a significant diplomatic achievement and crediting Pakistan’s leadership for its role in promoting global peace.

Pakistan on Wednesday announced that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, had agreed to an immediate ceasefire, including in Lebanon, effective immediately, and invited their delegations to Islamabad on April 10 for talks aimed at reaching a lasting settlement of disputes. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the ceasefire in an early-morning post on X, welcoming the move and extending his “deepest gratitude” to the leadership of both countries. Both sides have displayed “remarkable wisdom and understanding” and remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability, the prime minister said, expressing hope that the ‘Islamabad Talks’ would succeed in achieving sustainable peace and that more positive developments would follow in the coming days. The prime minister, who helped mediate the ceasefire, also invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad on April 10 to “hold further negotiations towards a conclusive agreement to se...

Backchannel diplomatic efforts by Pakistan appear to have finally paid off, as the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire after weeks of escalating hostilities triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28 that quickly spiralled into a wider regional conflict. During this time, the crisis has unfolded through a mix of military escalations, retaliatory attacks, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, with failed ceasefire proposals and last-minute mediation all shaping the path to this vital breakthrough. Here is a timeline of the key events and statements that defined the conflict: February 28 The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran via air and sea: a series of blasts in Tehran, including near the residence of the supreme leader. A US-Israel airstrike on an elementary school in southern Iran killed more than 170 people, most of them schoolgirls. In retaliation, Iran attacked at least seven Gulf states, striking civilian infrastructure, damaging airports in the UAE and Kuwait, deploying a dron...

Pakistan on Wednesday announced that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, had agreed to an immediate ceasefire, including in Lebanon, effective immediately, and invited their delegations to Islamabad on April 10 for talks aimed at reaching a lasting settlement of disputes. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the ceasefire in an early-morning post on X, welcoming the move and extending his “deepest gratitude” to the leadership of both countries. Both sides have displayed “remarkable wisdom and understanding” and remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability, the prime minister said, expressing hope that the ‘Islamabad Talks’ would succeed in achieving sustainable peace and that more positive developments would follow in the coming days. The prime minister, who helped mediate the ceasefire, also invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad on April 10 to “hold further negotiations towards a conclusive agreement to se...

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed regret on Tuesday that an attack by Israel on Iran set out events that “severely damaged the peace process” at a time when Washington and Tehran were close to coming to the table. His statement in the Senate came ahead of an 8pm ET deadline for April 8 that US President Donald Trump has given to Iran to enter a ceasefire agreement with Washington. Trump has warned of wider bombing on power plants and other critical infrastructure otherwise. Pakistan has positioned itself as a facilitator in the peace process between the two sides, leveraging its ties with the US and its working relationship with Iran. Addressing the Senate, Dar said Pakistan had been playing a proactive diplomatic role to reduce tensions, but recent developments had dealt a severe blow to peace efforts. “Just as both parties were close to sitting at the negotiating table, Israel attacked Iran, which led Iran to target oil installations in Saudi Arabia’s Jubail city. Thi...

US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” as Iran showed no sign of accepting his ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz. Trump had initially vowed to carry out the “complete demolition” of Iran’s critical infrastructure, particularly bridges and power plants, only if a deal was not reached. But writing on Truth Social, Trump elevated his ultimatum for Iran, stating that “a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will”, if the country does not heed his call for a deal. It was not clear exactly what he meant or by what means he intended to carry out the threat. His remarks drew a strong reaction from politicos, with several calling for him be removed from office by invoking the 25th amendment, which allows for the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to declare a president unfit for office. Democratic Leader in the US Senate Chuck Schumer assailed Trump’s threats, branding him “...

Efforts to facilitate talks between the US and Iran are still ongoing, two Pakistani sources with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters on Tuesday, as US strikes on Iran intensified and US President Donald Trump’s deadline to unleash “hell” neared. One of the sources, a senior security official, said Iran’s overnight strike on Saudi Arabia’s industrial facilities linked to US firms threatened to derail the talks. If Saudi Arabia were to respond to the strikes, the talks would be over, the source said, adding that retaliation could also draw Pakistan into the conflict under its defence pact with Riyadh. The second source said Iran was “walking on thin ice” and that the next three to four hours were critical for the future of dialogue. Pakistan has been at the centre of negotiations between the US and Iran in recent weeks, acting as the main go-between for proposals shared by both sides, but there has been no sign of a compromise. “We are in touch with Iranians. They have lately shown flexibility that they ...

US President Donald Trump asserted on Monday that Iran could be taken out in one night, “and that night might be tomorrow night”, even as he said shortly afterwards that US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, were talking to intermediaries in Pakistan. His statements from two different events came ahead of a looming Tuesday night deadline he gave to Tehran to agree to a ceasefire deal with Washington, warning of wider bombing on power plants and other critical infrastructure. Trump is demanding that Iran forswear nuclear weapons and reopen the Strait of Hormuz oil transit waterway. Iranian media reported on Monday that Tehran had rejected the US ceasefire proposal through intermediary Pakistan, and had instead shared a 10-point proposal, demanding an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting of sanctions and reconstruction. Addressing a White House press conference on Monday, Trump told reporters that Iran could be taken out in one night, warni...

Iran has conveyed its ​response to the ‌US proposal for ending the war ​to intermediary Pakistan, rejecting ​a ceasefire and emphasising ⁠the necessity ​of a permanent end ​to the war, the official IRNA news ​agency said on ​Monday. The Iranian response consisted of 10 clauses, including an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting of sanctions, and reconstruction, the agency added. US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to rain “hell” on Tehran if it did not make a deal by 8pm EDT Tuesday (midnight GMT) to open the vital route for global energy supplies, rejected the Iranian proposal on Monday and said his deadline was final. “They made a proposal, and it’s a significant proposal. It’s a significant step. It’s not good enough,” Trump told reporters at an annual White House Easter event, referring to Iran. Iran responded to US and Israeli attacks in February by effectively closing Hormuz, a conduit for about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday expressed concern over an incident at the Khor Fakkan port in the United Arab Emirates, where a missile interception injured three Pakistani nationals. Gulf countries, including the UAE, have come under attack in Iran’s retaliatory campaign against the ongoing US-Israeli war on the country. In a post on X, the premier said, “Deeply concerned at the incident at Khor Fakkan port in the UAE, where an intercepted projectile caused injuries to civilians, including Pakistani nationals”. He prayed for the “swift recovery” of the injured. The prime minister stated that Pakistan remained in “close contact” with the UAE authorities to extend all possible support to Pakistani nationals in the country. “Pakistan stands in solidarity with the brotherly people of the UAE and reiterates the urgent need for restraint and de-escalation in the region,” the premier added. On Sunday, the Sharjah Media Office said that three Pakistani nationals and a Nepalese national sustained injuries aft...

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines has ended all discounts being provided to passengers, with concessions remaining in place only for children and infants, and has also cut its flight operations due to the continuous rise in the prices of jet fuel, the carrier’s spokesperson said on Monday. In recent weeks, jet fuel (JP-1) rates have soared amid global supply chain uncertainty spurred by the US-Israel war on Iran. “The PIA has made a principled decision to end all discounts, with concessions remaining only for children and infants,” the spokesperson said. He added that a strategy was formulated in a high-level meeting to address the rising prices of fuel and potential losses to the airline. The spokesperson said PIA would also restrict its flight operation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to 16 flights per week. “The carrier is also going to suspend flight to Gulf countries, with the exception of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, until the end of April,” he added. Further, he said that the PIA would also...