Iran-US talks in Islamabad, mediated by Pakistan, enter expert-level phase

Iran and the United States have begun a first round of negotiations in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad aimed at permanently ending a US-Israeli war of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

The discussions began on a political level, but technical experts from the Iranian delegation also entered the talks later. The technical teams comprise of economic, military, legal and nuclear experts.

The Iranian delegation told reporters that they had entered the talks seriously to secure the rights of the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic. They would leave the negotiating table if those rights are not guaranteed, IRIB news reported, citing members of the delegation.

Reports said that the main discussions latest for about two hours but technical talks were still underway and could be extended for a second day.

Iran’s official news agency IRNA said negotiations started on Saturday afternoon with the mediation of Pakistan after intensive diplomatic efforts for the US side to accept Iran’s preconditions to start the talks.

It said the US side had generally accepted the two conditions, which were to rein in continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon and to release Iran’s blocked funds.

The report said, however, that Israel had ceased attacking the Lebanese capital Beirut and restricted its attacks to areas in southern Lebanon, which it said was a step forward considering the terms of a ceasefire announced last week between Iran and the US.

It said that there was a need for expert and technical talks on the issue of funds release, prompting the Iranian side to enter into the talks with the US delegation.

IRNA said, however, that the Iranian delegation has yet to be fully satisfied with the ceasefire conditions in Lebanon and was seriously pressing the issue through the Pakistani mediators.

A high-ranking delegation from Iran led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf arrived in Islamabad on Friday to participate in the negotiations with the US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance.

The talks come several days after Iran said it had agreed to a Pakistani-mediated ceasefire that could pave the way for a permanent end to the US-Israeli aggression on the country that started in late February.

Iran accepted the ceasefire after US authorities indicated they were ready to negotiate based on a 10-point framework formulated by Iran, which included major conditions like the permanent end to US-Israeli attacks on Iran and its allies in the region, the removal of sanctions on Iran, and compensation for the war of aggression imposed on the country.

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