Islamabad, Pakistan – With key variations within the Iranian and American positions seemingly intact, Pakistan is aiming for what officers describe as a sensible – if modest – end result from the negotiations between the 2 warring nations set to begin in Islamabad on Saturday.
The intention: to get america and Iranian negotiators to search out sufficient widespread floor to proceed talks.
On Friday, US Vice President JD Vance left Washington for Islamabad, the place he’ll lead the American crew, which may even encompass President Donald Trump’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Whereas Iran has not formally confirmed its representatives on the talks, International Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are anticipated to guide Tehran’s crew.
These high-level talks observe days after the US and Iran agreed to a Pakistan-mediated two-week ceasefire, and can be held precisely six weeks after the US and Israel launched their warfare on Iran with the killing of Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28.
Specialists and sources near the mediation effort mentioned there was little expectation {that a} main breakthrough can be reached on Saturday. However by setting a extra practical ceiling – an settlement in Islamabad to proceed deeper negotiations aimed toward discovering a long-lasting peace deal – Pakistan is hopeful it will probably assist construct on a truce that led to a collective sigh of aid globally.
“Pakistan has succeeded in getting them collectively. We acquired them to take a seat at a desk. Now it’s for the events to determine whether or not they’re prepared to make the sacrifices mandatory to succeed in an eventual answer,” Zamir Akram, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United Nations, advised Al Jazeera.
Now, he added, it can intention to safe an settlement for the US and Iran to proceed dialogue.
The ‘proximity format’
The US and Iranian delegations will land on the Nur Khan airbase exterior Islamabad after which drive to the Serena Resort, the place they are going to keep, and the place the talks can be held.
Although the 2 groups can be in the identical lodge, they won’t come head to head for the negotiations, officers mentioned.
As a substitute, they are going to sit in two separate rooms, with Pakistani officers shuttling messages between them.
In diplomatic jargon, such negotiations are often called proximity talks.
Pakistan’s expertise with such a dialogue shouldn’t be new. In 1988, Islamabad itself participated within the Geneva Accords negotiations on the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, the place UN-mediated oblique talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan produced a landmark settlement.
Akram, who has represented Pakistan on the UN in Geneva from 2008 to 2015, mentioned that historical past was related.
“Proximity talks have been used earlier than. Pakistan itself participated in a single in Geneva in 1988 on the Afghan difficulty,” he advised Al Jazeera. “If the events didn’t belief Pakistan, they’d not be right here. The metric of success must be an settlement to proceed this course of in the hunt for an answer. It is not going to occur in a few days.”
Constructing diplomatic momentum
Within the days between the ceasefire announcement on April 7 and the arrival of the delegations in Islamabad, world leaders moved shortly to register assist.
UN Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire and expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s function. Kazakhstan, Romania and the UK additionally issued statements endorsing Islamabad’s mediation.
French President Emmanuel Macron known as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to congratulate him, whereas Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan additionally spoke to the Pakistani chief.
Analysts say these calls weren’t solely expressions of goodwill however alerts of worldwide backing, aimed toward strengthening Pakistan’s hand in pushing each Washington and Tehran to ship outcomes.
Sharif spoke with eight world leaders, together with the emir of Qatar, the presidents of France and Turkiye, the prime ministers of Italy and Lebanon, the king of Bahrain and the chancellors of Germany and Austria.
International Minister Ishaq Dar, who can also be deputy prime minister, engaged with greater than a dozen counterparts over the previous two days and held an in-person assembly with China’s ambassador in Islamabad.
In complete, Pakistan’s management made or acquired greater than 25 diplomatic contacts in roughly 48 hours.
Salma Malik, a professor of strategic research at Quaid-i-Azam College, mentioned the size of engagement mirrored confidence in Pakistan’s function.
“The 2 fundamental events confirmed confidence in Pakistan to behave as a impartial agent, that’s the first and most important litmus take a look at for any mediating nation, and Pakistan handed it,” she advised Al Jazeera.
The Lebanon downside
Essentially the most fast menace to Saturday’s talks lies exterior the negotiating room.
Iran has framed Israeli strikes on Lebanon as a direct problem to the ceasefire. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who spoke to Sharif earlier this week, warned that continued assaults would render negotiations meaningless.
Hours after the ceasefire was introduced, Israel launched its most widespread bombardment of Lebanon for the reason that begin of the battle, killing greater than 300 folks throughout Beirut and southern Lebanon in a single day.
Rescuers stand on the web site of an Israeli strike carried out on Wednesday, in El-Mazraa in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 9, 2026 [Raghed Waked/Reuters]
International Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned Tehran may abandon the ceasefire completely if the strikes continued.
Sharif, in a name with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on April 9, strongly condemned Israel’s actions.
Whether or not Lebanon is roofed by the ceasefire stays contested. Pakistan has maintained that the truce extends throughout the broader area, together with Lebanon, as mirrored in Sharif’s assertion earlier this week.
Washington has taken a special view. US Vice President JD Vance, who will lead the American delegation, mentioned in Budapest that Lebanon falls exterior the ceasefire’s phrases, a place echoed by President Donald Trump and the White Home.
Seema Baloch, a former Pakistani envoy, mentioned the problem finally rests with Washington.
“Lebanon is vital and Israel will use it to play the spoiler function,” she advised Al Jazeera. “It’s now the US choice whether or not it can enable Israel, which isn’t seated on the negotiating desk, to play that function.”
There are, nevertheless, indicators of restricted de-escalation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned on Thursday that Israel was prepared to start direct negotiations with Lebanon “as quickly as doable”, specializing in disarming Hezbollah and reaching a peace settlement.
The announcement adopted US stress. Trump advised NBC he had requested Netanyahu to “low-key it” on Lebanon.
Nevertheless, Netanyahu made clear there was no ceasefire in Lebanon, saying Israel would proceed putting Hezbollah whilst talks proceed.
Salman Bashir, a former Pakistani international secretary, mentioned Lebanon stays inside the ceasefire’s scope.
“Lebanon could be very a lot a part of the ceasefire, as was talked about within the prime minister’s assertion,” he advised Al Jazeera. “The Israelis could also be inclined to maintain the stress on Lebanon, however not for lengthy if the US is eager on a cessation of hostilities, because it appears.”
Obstacles
Past Lebanon, a number of different obstacles stay.
Washington is predicted to push for verifiable restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme, together with limits on enrichment and the removing of stockpiled materials.
Tehran, in flip, is demanding full sanctions aid, formal recognition of its proper to complement uranium and compensation for wartime harm.
The Strait of Hormuz, by which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and fuel passes in peacetime, stays a key stress level, with Iran retaining the flexibility to disrupt maritime visitors.
Bashir mentioned there might be motion on a few of these points.
“There could also be a gap on the Strait of Hormuz, beneath Iranian management. Iran is not going to hand over on the appropriate to enrichment. If nothing else, there must be an extension of the ceasefire deadline,” he advised Al Jazeera.
Muhammad Shoaib, a professor of worldwide relations in Islamabad, mentioned progress would rely on motion on core points.
“Each events agreeing on the necessity to proceed and even lengthen the ceasefire, whereas in precept agreeing on essential factors such because the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s proper to enrichment and respect for sovereignty, will recommend that the primary spherical is significant and profitable,” he advised Al Jazeera.
The regional ambiance has additionally been formed by sharp rhetoric from a few of Iran’s Gulf neighbours.
The United Arab Emirates, which confronted a whole lot of missile and drone assaults in the course of the battle, has been among the many most vocal.
Its ambassador to Washington wrote in The Wall Road Journal {that a} ceasefire alone wouldn’t be ample and known as for a complete end result addressing Iran’s “full vary of threats”.
Bahrain, in the meantime, introduced a United Nations Safety Council decision on April 7 calling for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The measure acquired 11 votes in favour however was vetoed by Russia and China, with Pakistan and Colombia abstaining.
Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt aren’t anticipated to have a proper presence on the talks, regardless of being carefully concerned in pre-negotiation diplomacy. The 4 international locations held conferences in Riyadh and later in Islamabad aimed toward securing a pause in hostilities.
Israel, a celebration to the battle, may even not be represented. Pakistan, like most Muslim-majority international locations, doesn’t recognise Israel and has no diplomatic relations with it.
A slight easing
There are, nevertheless, tentative indicators of easing tensions forward of Saturday’s talks.
On Friday, as he was departing from Washington, Vance mentioned that the US crew was “wanting ahead to the negotiations”.
“We expect it’s going to be optimistic. We’ll, in fact, see. Because the president of america mentioned, if the Iranians are prepared to barter in good religion, we’re definitely prepared to increase an open hand,” the US vp mentioned. “In the event that they attempt to play us, they’re going to search out that the negotiating crew shouldn’t be that receptive. So we’ll attempt to have a optimistic negotiation.”
He additionally mentioned that Trump had given the US crew “some fairly clear tips”.
Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia’s international minister spoke along with his Iranian counterpart for the primary time for the reason that warfare began.
And Iran’s Supreme Nationwide Safety Council mentioned on April 8 that discussions may proceed for as much as 15 days, suggesting readiness for a chronic course of.
Akram, the previous envoy, mentioned the benchmark for achievement was clear.
“What they should agree is that they are going to discover a answer, and that in itself can be a step in the appropriate route,” he advised Al Jazeera. “Discovering a long-term answer will take time. It is not going to occur in a few days.”
Malik, the educational in Islamabad, mentioned Pakistan’s expectations remained modest.
“What Pakistan expects is respiratory house, a possibility for peace. It isn’t anticipating something large. It’s a small want, however realising it is going to be very tough,” she advised Al Jazeera.
