Iran, US, Israel War Ceasefire Talks News Highlights: US military says it will block Iranian traffic in Hormuz, Iran says it will not ‘surrender’
Iran, US, Israel War Ceasefire Peace Talks In Islamabad Highlights: US and Iranian delegations fail to reach common ground after 21 hours of negotiations, with both sides blaming the other for 'unreasonable demands'.
Iran, US, Israel War Ceasefire Talks News Highlights: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed the latest developments about the ceasefire in a phone call Sunday, the Kremlin said. Pezeshkian briefed Putin on the US-Iran talks held in Pakistan and said that Iran is ready for a “balanced and fair agreement, that guarantees stable peace and security.” The Kremlin said that Putin “emphasised his readiness” to help bring about a diplomatic settlement to the hostilities and “establish a just and lasting peace” in West Asia.
Hours after US and Iran delegations made no headway in setting terms for a ceasefire deal, US President Trump predicted that the Iranians come back to the bargaining table “and give us everything we want.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the American Navy from now on will block any and all ships entering the Strait of Hormuz and would also interdict every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran.
Door open for negotiation?: Iranian Parliament Speaker and lead negotiator in talks with the US, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said that the US delegation “failed to gain our trust” but kept the door open for another round of talks. In a post on X, he said it was now “time for the US to decide whether it can earn our trust or not.” His remarks came after high-stakes talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad ended without a breakthrough after 21 hours of negotiations.
What happened in the peace talks: Delegations led by Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf met in Pakistan’s capital for face-to-face negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire and a broader peace framework. The discussions stretched over nearly a full day, with Pakistan’s leadership facilitating multiple rounds. While both sides acknowledged “substantive discussions”, they failed to bridge differences on core demands, particularly US insistence on guarantees that Iran would not develop nuclear weapons.
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After the US walked away from those peace talks in Islamabad with essentially no deal on any of its demands.
And now Trump at first said that this US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would impact all ships coming and going from the strait.
Well, then CENTCOM issued a narrowing order, rather saying that it is only ships that will be leaving or coming to ports in Iran.
Also, missing from the CENTCOM’s statement is any mention of the tolls that the president had mentioned earlier. He said that any international vessel that paid Iran a toll to travel through the strait would be pursued by the US Navy and would not be granted safe passage.
That is, in contrast to the CENTCOM statement that said that there will be freedom of navigation for any vessels that bypass these Iranian ports.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health says the death toll since the start of the Israeli offensive on March 2 has now risen to 2,055 people.
It said at least 6,588 others have been wounded.
US President Donald Trump issued a scathing attack on Pope Leo late on Sunday, calling him "weak" on crime and "terrible" for foreign policy after the religious leader criticized Trump's foreign and immigration policies.
"Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy," Trump wrote in a lengthy post on Truth Social.
Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, has emerged as an outspoken critic of the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28.
The pope said this month's threat from Trump to destroy Iranian civilization was "unacceptable." He has also called for "deep reflection" about the way migrants are being treated in the U.S. under the Trump administration.
"Leo should get his act together as Pope," Trump wrote in his post, later telling reporters he was not a "big fan" of the pontiff.
The US president has answered several questions from the press at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Here’s a summary of his remarks:
The US president has spoken to the press about the situation with Iran before boarding a plane to Washington, DC.
He said the US’s planned blockade of Iranian ports tomorrow will be “very effective”. He also claimed “other nations” are working with the US to help stop Iran from selling oil.
The Lebanese armed group says it has carried out 43 attacks on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon and northern Israel on Sunday, including with rockets and drones.
These included Israeli troops in and around the towns of Khiam, Biyyada, Bint Jbeil, Taybeh, and Shama in southern Lebanon, and Israeli positions in the Israeli towns of Kiryat Shmnoa, Margaliot, Avivim, Metula and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
It also said it targeted several Israeli barracks and bases, including at Al-Aliqah, Beit Hillel, Mount Neria, Filon, Yiftah and Dishon.
US President Trump is considering resuming limited military strikes in Iran and a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to break the peace talk stalemate. The options were being weighed after negotiations collapsed in Pakistan, with a full-fledged bombing campaign being less likely due to regional destabilization concerns.
Trump might also opt for a temporary blockade, pressuring allies to take responsibility for future escort missions.
With inputs from Wall Street Journal
Israel’s Channel 12 is reporting that sirens have sounded in the Upper Galilee region following rocket fire from Lebanon.
US Senator Patty Muray is the latest Democratic lawmaker to criticise Trump’s policies on Iran, saying they are contributing to increasing inflation that he promised to reverse.
In a post on X, Murray said one of the major factors causing “surging” inflation in the US is “Trump starting a costly foreign war that no one asked for”.
“He promised to lower inflation, to lower prices—he not only broke those promises, he’s actively doing the OPPOSITE,” wrote Murray.
Prices are surging and it's thanks to two main things:⁰⁰1. Trump starting a costly foreign war that no one asked for.
2. Trump's arbitrary & corrupt tariffs.⁰⁰He promised to lower inflation, to lower prices—he not only broke those promises, he's actively doing the OPPOSITE.
US President Donald Trump and his advisers are looking at resuming limited military strikes in Iran in addition to the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as a way to break a stalemate in peace talks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing officials and people familiar with the matter.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
With inputs from Reuters
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Iranian parliamentary speaker who led negotiations in Islamabad, has mocked Donald Trump in a post on X referencing US plans to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.
"Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called 'blockade', Soon you'll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas," the post says, accompanied by a map appearing to show petrol prices around Washington DC.
In an earlier statement carried by Iranian outlets Ghalibaf said Iranwill not 'surrender under threats'.
Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called 'blockade', Soon you'll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.
ΔO_BSOH>0 ⇒ f(f(O))>f(O) pic.twitter.com/rVxlC6vFWG
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said the US has no valid reason to carry out a military attack against the island or to attempt to depose him.
Speaking in an interview on NBC News' Meet the Press programme, the president said an invasion of Cuba would be costly and affect regional security. But should it happen, Diaz-Canel said, Cubans would defend themselves.
"If the time comes, I don't think there would be any justification for the United States to launch a military aggression against Cuba, or for the US to undertake a surgical operation or the kidnapping of a president," Diaz-Canel said, speaking through a translator.
Federica Mogherini, who helped negotiate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – the agreement between Iran and China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US, which saw the lifting of international sanctions against Iran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear programme – has taken to X to calm expectations for early rounds of diplomacy between the US and Iran.
“It took us 12 years and an immense amount of technical work, anyone seriously thought an agreement could be reached in 21 hours…?” she wrote.
It took us 12 years and an immense amount of technical work, anyone seriously thought an agreement could be reached in 21 hours….? #jcpoa #iran
We have an update from Lebanon’s Health Ministry, which says an Israeli air attack on Maaroub, in the country’s south, has killed at least four people.
At least three others were wounded in the attack, it added.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament who led the country’s delegation in the Islamabad talks, has again addressed Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.
“Enjoy the current pump figures,” he wrote on X, alongside a map showing prices at gas stations near the White House.
“With the so-called ‘blockade’, Soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.”
Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called 'blockade', Soon you'll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.
ΔO_BSOH>0 ⇒ f(f(O))>f(O) pic.twitter.com/rVxlC6vFWG
Oil prices have risen in early market trading after the US said it would blockade Iranian ports beginning on Monday.
The price of US crude oil rose 8 percent to $104.24 a barrel.
Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7 percent to $102.29. Brent crude has swung dramatically during the war, rising from roughly $70 per barrel before the US-Israeli attacks began on February 28 to more than $119 at times.
On Friday, ahead of the talks in Pakistan, Brent for June delivery fell 0.8 percent to $95.20 per barrel.
The US president said his threat to impose 50% tariffs on goods from countries that sold weapons to Iran was aimed at China.
Trump told Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" that has heard reports of China giving anti-aircraft "shoulder missiles" to Iran. He played down the possibility of China supplying weapons to Iran, but said their goods would be taxed if they did.
Iran had very good initiatives to show goodwill in talks with the United States which led to progress in the negotiations, the country's top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said in comments carried by state media on Sunday.
Qalibaf said US President Donald Trump's new threats will have no effect on the Iranian nation.
"If you fight, we will fight, and if you come forward with logic, we will deal with logic," he said.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the price of oil and gasoline may remain high through November's midterm elections, a rare acknowledgement of the potential political fallout from his decision to attack Iran six weeks ago.
"It could be, or the same, or maybe a little bit higher, but it should be around the same," Trump, who is in Miami for the weekend, told Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo" when asked whether the cost of oil and gas would be lower by the fall.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy said Sunday that military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz "will be met with a firm and forceful response," according to two semi-official Iranian news agencies.
Earlier Sunday, Trump said the US Navy would begin a blockade on the critical waterway to stop ships from entering or leaving.
The talks in Pakistan between Iran and the US ended Sunday without an agreement to end the fighting.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X, "Minister of State Shri Pabitra Margherita offered solemn respects on behalf of the Government of India at the 40th day (Chehelum) mourning ceremony organized by the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi."
He added, "India–Iran relations are anchored in deep rooted civilizational, cultural and people-to-people ties."
Minister of State Shri Pabitra Margherita offered solemn respects on behalf of the Government of India at the 40th day (Chehelum) mourning ceremony organized by the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi.
India–Iran relations are anchored in deep rooted civilizational, cultural and… pic.twitter.com/atZle5aKk4
Two oil tankers sailing under Pakistani flags have turned around at the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting they could not make the passage, Iran’s Fars news agency said as reported by Al Jazeera. The tankers are named Khairpur and Shalamar, the news agency said.
The US president said his threat to impose 50% tariffs on goods from countries that sold weapons to Iran was aimed at China. Trump told Fox News that has heard reports of China giving anti-aircraft "shoulder missiles" to Iran. He played down the possibility of China supplying weapons to Iran, but said their goods would be taxed if they did.
"I doubt they would do that, because I have a relationship, and I think they wouldn't do that, but maybe they did a little bit at the beginning," Trump said. "But if we catch them doing that, they get a 50% tariff."
US President Donald Trump said during an interview with Fox News that the United States and other countries will be sending minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz to clear mines left by Iran.
“We have minesweepers there. Now we have highly sophisticated underwater minesweepers, which are the latest and the greatest, but we’re also bringing in more traditional minesweepers. And so I understand is the UK and a couple of other countries are sending mine sweepers,” he said in the interview.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held a telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, following the breakdown of diplomatic negotiations with the United States in Islamabad.
According to a statement shared on X by the Iranian President's office, the discussion took place shortly after the high-stakes talks in Pakistan failed to produce a breakthrough.
During the call, the two leaders "reviewed the latest regional & international developments," including the current status of the ceasefire in the region. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump said the Iranians have not left the bargaining tablet, "I predict they come back and give us everything we want."
Social media posts about wiping out the Iranian civilisation brought Iranians to the table, Trump added.
Israel's war with Iran incurred 35 billion shekels ($11.52 billion) in budgetary expenses, with 22 billion shekels of that going to defence, the Finance Ministry said on Sunday, citing a preliminary estimate.
US President Donald Trump issued a series of Truth Social posts, saying the only point that “really mattered” in talks with the Iranians was the nuclear issue.
Trump says US ready to ‘finish up’ Iran at ‘appropriate moment’ after no deal reached in Pakistan talks, news agency AP reported.
Trump posted saying that he has instructed the US Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. "No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas. We will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the Straits. Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!," he posted on Truth Social.
Hours after reaching an impasse in ceasefire negotiations, US President Trump posted on Truth Social saying the meeting went "well".
"The meeting went well, most points were agreed to, but the only point that really mattered, NUCLEAR, was not. Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz."
The Strait of Hormuz has never been Iran's to close or restrict the navigation through, the CEO of UAE state oil giant ADNOC, Sultan Al Jaber, posted on X. He said that any disruption would threaten energy, food and health security worldwide, warning that setting such a precedent would be "dangerous and unacceptable".
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the ceasefire talks in Islamabad, Russian news agency Interfax reported. Putin was reported as saying that Russia is ready to continue facilitating a settlement in West Asia.
“Vladimir Putin emphasised his readiness to further facilitate the search for a political and diplomatic settlement to the conflict, and to mediate efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” the Kremlin said in its readout of the call.
Hezbollah says it has targeted a military vehicle containing a command crew with a drone in the occupied West Bank town of Taybeh.
The group also targeted the Kiryat Shmona barracks in northern Israel with multiple drones, it said in a second statement.
(Al Jazeera)
The head of Iran’s Forensic Medicine Organisation, Abbas Masjedi Arani, says the authorities have identified the bodies of 3,375 people killed during the US-Israel war on Iran.
In a statement to the Iranian media, Arani said the toll included 2,875 men and 496 women, Al Jazeera reported.
An Israeli Orbiter drone was recovered from the Persian Gulf after getting caught in the fishing net of fishermen from Bushehr, PressTV posted on their X account.
If you're just joining us, here are some of the latest developments from the day
- Iranian Parliament Speaker, Ghalibaf, said that the US delegation "failed to gain our trust" but kept the door open for another round of talks.
- No agreement reached after 21 hours of direct US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad.
- Vance said the US made its “final and best offer” but Iran chose “not to accept our terms”.
- Iran calls talks “intensive”, criticises US demands as excessive.
- Donald Trump says outcome “makes no difference” and claims the US has already “won.”
Leaving the door open for possible negotiations in the future, Ghalibaf, said that it was now "time for the US to decide whether it can earn our trust or not."
He added, "America has understood our logic and principles, and now it's time for it to decide whether it can earn our trust or not."
Top finance officials from around the world will convene in Washington this week under the shadow of the war in West Asia. Top IMF and World Bank officials last week said they would downgrade their forecasts for global growth and raise their inflation predictions as a result of the war, warning that emerging markets and developing countries will be hit hardest by higher energy prices and supply disruptions.
"Before the negotiations, I emphasized that we have the necessary goodwill and determination, but due to the experiences of the two previous wars, we do not trust the other side," Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf posted.
۱/پیش از مذاکرات تأکید کردم که ما حسن نیت و ارادهٔ لازم را داریم ولی به دلیل تجربیات دو جنگ قبلی، اعتمادی به طرف مقابل نداریم.
همکاران من در هیئت ایرانی میناب۱۶۸ ابتکارات رو به جلویی مطرح کردند ولی طرف مقابل در نهایت نتوانست در این دور از مذاکرات اعتماد هیئت ایرانی را جلب کند.
As peace talks between Iran and US delegations faltered, the country’s internet blackout entered its 44th day, internet watchdog NetBlocks.
The watchdog declared earlier this month that the blackout now amounts to the longest nationwide internet shutdown on record in any country.
The Iranian delegation raised forward-looking initiatives but US delegation failed to gain our trust, Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.
"The US has understood Iran's logic and principles and it's time to decide whether they can earn our trust or not," he added.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that a suspected Hezbollah drone from Lebanon was likely intercepted over Kiryat Shmona.
Israel-Hezbollah clashes in Bint Jbeil have intensified, with "fierce" fighting reported between Israeli military and Hezbollah fighters in the southern Lebanese town, according to Lebanon’s official news agency.
The National News Agency stated that the Israeli troops “are still trying to infiltrate and take control of the remaining neighborhoods in the city of Bint Jbeil.”
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said that at least six people were killed in an Israeli strike on Maaroub, near Tyre in the south of Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia's energy ministry said that it has restored full capacity of its East-West oil pipeline after being damaged during the Iran war. According to news agency Reuters, the pipeline transfers approximately seven million barrels’ worth of oil per day.
Jafar Miadfar, the head of Iran’s emergency department, says some 2,115 people under the age of 18 were wounded in the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
He told the Mehr news agency that 124 of those victims are under five years old and 24 are under the age of two.
Another 5,000 people wounded are women, with most attacks occurring in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan, Lorestan, Isfahan, Kermanshah and Ilam.
A post about an hour ago on the Israel Defense Forces Telegram channel claimed that overnight, the IDF “identified a rocket launcher positioned and ready to launch toward the State of Israel in the area of Jouaiyya in southern Lebanon”. "Shortly after the identification, the launcher was struck and dismantled in a rapid closure cycle, thwarting the launch before it could be carried out.
The post included what the IDF said was footage of the strike, which the Guardian was not able to immediately verify.
Lebanon’s National News Agency is reporting that an Israeli strike on the southern town of Qana has killed five people and wounded others.
Civil defence teams were working to evacuate the wounded and transport them to hospitals in the nearby city of Tyre, NNA said.
Israel also launched separate attacks on other communities across the Tyre district, wounding three people in Ma’raka.
Qana previously suffered Israeli massacres in 1996 and 2006.
The Israeli military is claiming that it attacked a “loaded and ready-to-launch rocket launcher” overnight in Jwaya, in southern Lebanon.
It said the launcher was “attacked and destroyed” before it could target Israel.
Israel has continued its attack on Lebanon, a country it has invaded, even while there is a two-week ceasefire in the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Hezbollah had launched rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran, sparking massive Israeli strikes and a ground invasion since early March.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called on the US and Iran to uphold the ceasefire and resume talks.
“It is disappointing that the Islamabad talks between the United States and Iran have ended without agreement,” Wong said in a statement carried by Australian media. “The priority now must be to continue the ceasefire and return to negotiations. We continue to want to see a swift resolution to this conflict.”
She warned that “any escalation in the conflict would impose an even greater human cost and further impact the global economy”.
Iranian delegation leaves Islamabad for Tehran after talks with the US ended without a deal.
Iranian delegation leaves Islamabad for Tehran after talks with the US ended without a deal.
Follow: https://t.co/mLGcUTS2ei pic.twitter.com/XOsPirOumG
The US president, Donald Trump, has not yet formally commented on the breakdown of peace talks with Iran in Islamabad.
The article – by John Solomon, a controversial veteran US journalist, and published on Solomon’s conservative Just the News website – cites experts who suggest Trump “simply could out-blockade Iran’s hold over the Strait of Hormuz”.
In the 10-point framework proposed by Iran, there was no mention of a complete surrender of nuclear ambitions. But what the US is essentially asking Iran now is that they give up their right to any nuclear programme, even for medicinal purposes.
On Saturday evening, as Vice President JD Vance took a podium in Pakistan and said no deal had been reached to end the war in Iran, President Trump was in Miami watching a mixed martial arts fight. (New York Times)
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said Sunday that delegations led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf held “intense and constructive negotiations” in Islamabad, following a ceasefire call by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In a statement posted on X, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Let me begin by expressing my deep gratitude to the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America for responding to the call made by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for an immediate ceasefire… I along with the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir helped mediate several rounds of intense and constructive negotiations… It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to ceasefire.”
Pakistan added it would “continue to play its role” in facilitating dialogue between Tehran and Washington.
🔊PR No.1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣
Remarks by the DPM/FM at the conclusion of the Islamabad Talks
🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ySCYFStWSJ
The spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry has spoken to Iranian media following JD Vance’s comments.
Esmail Baghaei said Iran and the US have “reached an understanding on a number of issues” and that there were “differences of opinion on 2-3 important” matters.
“These negotiations were held after 40 days of imposed war and were held in an atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion. It is natural that we should not have expected from the beginning to reach an agreement within one meeting,” he said. “No one expected that either.”
Earlier, Baghaei had said the success of the talks depended on the “seriousness and good faith of the opposing side” and the acceptance of Iran’s legitimate rights and interests.
Iran’s embassy in Ghana said in a post on X that Tehran gave a “BIG NO” to US demands, accusing Washington of “looking for an excuse” to leave the talks and seeking concessions it “couldn’t achieve through war”.
The US flew their Vice President halfway across the world to Islamabad. 21 hours of talks. They demanded everything they couldn't achieve through war.
Iran said a BIG NO.
The talks are over.
The Strait is still closed. And the VP is flying home empty-handed.
Just Iran's word.…
US delegation leaves Pakistan without reaching Iran deal.
#watch | US-Iran Peace Talks | Pakistan: US Vice President JD Vance leaves from Islamabad after the US and Iran failed to reach an agreement.
In a press conference, the US Vice President said, "...The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. I think that is bad news… pic.twitter.com/h4HfeNcSDp
A source close to the Iranian delegation has told the Fars news agency that the US was looking for an excuse to leave the negotiating table.
The source said, “the Americans needed the negotiation for their lost face in the international arena and were unwilling to lower their expectations despite the defeat and stalemate in the war with Iran”.
It added, “Iran has no plans for the next round of talks”.
A source close to the Iranian delegation says the US demanded “through negotiation, everything they couldn’t obtain during war,” according to the Fars news agency.
The source said that “Iran did not accept America’s ambitious conditions regarding the Strait of Hormuz, peaceful nuclear energy, and several other issues”.
Iran’s Fars news agency says the path to a deal hinges on the US changing its “unreasonable demands”, and that the Strait of Hormuz is one of several contentious issues to be resolved.
The agency said experts on both sides are working to find common ground and that “the Pakistani mediator is trying to resolve differences and bring opinions closer”.
Both negotiating teams have stepped back to consult with their respective expert teams on proposed texts, with talks set to resume once those drafts are ready, it added.
The US vice president says the negotiating team was in contact with Trump throughout the talks.
“We were talking to the president consistently. I don’t know how many times we talked to him – a half dozen times, a dozen times – over the past 21 hours,” he said.
“So, look, we were constantly in communication with the team, because we were negotiating in good faith. And we leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”
Another reporter asks if the discussion produced any kind of framework, and if the issue of Iranian frozen assets had been raised.
“Certainly those things came up,” Vance replies. "But again, we just could not get to a situation where the Iranians were willing to accept our terms.
I think that we were quite flexible. We were quite accommodating.
The president told us, you need to come here in good faith and make your best effort to get a deal. We did that and unfortunately we weren’t able to make any headway.
The US vice president has made very brief remarks to the media.
He began his comments by thanking Pakistani prime minister and army chief, describing them as “incredible hosts”.
“Whatever shortcomings of the negotiation, it wasn’t because of the Pakistanis who did an amazing job and really tried to help us and the Iranians bridge the gap and get to a deal. We’ve been at it now for 21 hours, and we’ve had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians. That’s the good news,” Vance said.
“The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America. So, we go back to the United States, having not come to an agreement. We’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate them on, and what things we’re not willing to accommodate them on. And we made that as clear as we possibly could, and they have chosen not to accept our terms.”
We go back to the United States having not come to an agreement.
We’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate them on and what things we’re not willing to accommodate them on.
And we’ve made clear as we possibly could.
And they have chosen not to accept our terms.
JD Vance is speaking now. “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” he says.
Esmail Qaani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s Quds Force, has said the “resistance front is stronger and more cohesive than ever before” as peace talks with the US-Israel continue.
He said Israel “believes that by pressuring their resistance and martyrdom, it will cause them and the oppressed and innocent people to fail, weaken, or surrender”.
But “the culture of resistance is such that the more pressure they endure, the stronger and more solid they become,” he wrote.
Iran’s so-called resistance front includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and other armed groups in Palestine, Syria and Iraq.
It has insisted that any ceasefire between it and the US must extend to “Lebanon and the entire resistance axis”.
US Vice President JD Vance is set to address the nation shortly, with his remarks live-streamed by the White House. He's been leading the US delegation in talks with Iran, alongside Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
دیپلماسی برای ما ادامه جهاد مقدس مدافعان ایران زمین است. تجربه بدعهدیها و بدسگالیهای آمریکا را فراموش نکرده و نمیکنیم. همانطور که جنایات شنیع ارتکابی آنها و رژیم صهیونیستی در جریان جنگهای تحمیلی دوم و سوم را نخواهیم بخشید.
امروز روز پر کار و طولانی برای هیات نمایندگی جمهوری…
Baghaei concludes his statement by thanking Pakistan and urging the US to show good faith.
“The success of this diplomatic process depends on the seriousness and good faith of the opposing side, refraining from excessive demands and unlawful requests, and the acceptance of Iran’s legitimate rights and interests,” he wrote.
The spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement on the ongoing talks with the US in the Pakistani capital.
“Today was a busy and long day for the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Islamabad,” Esmaeil Baghaei wrote on X.
“The intensive negotiations that began from the morning of Saturday with Pakistan’s benevolent efforts and mediation have continued without interruption until now, and numerous messages and texts have been exchanged between the two sides. The Iranian negotiators are employing all their capabilities, experience, and knowledge to safeguard Iran’s rights and interests. The heavy loss of our great elders, dear ones, and fellow countrymen has made our resolve to pursue the Iranian nation’s interests and rights firmer than ever before,” he said.
There have been protests across Lebanon over the last few days, including one in Beirut, against the idea of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon.
So this is not being received well by some sections of the population, though many here are fatigued by the violence of the war.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam was due to visit Washington next week, but he has now announced that he is postponing the visit due to what he described as the “internal security” situation in Lebanon, which could perhaps risk internal strife.
Hezbollah and the Amal movement urged their supporters not to protest, citing the fact that the internal strife could be exploited by Israel.
As the talks started, the US military said it was "setting the conditions" to start clearing the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is central to the ceasefire talks. The US military said two of its warships had passed through the strait and conditions were being set to clear mines, while Iran's state media denied any US ships had transited the waterway.
Before the talks began, a senior Iranian source told Reuters the US had agreed to release frozen assets in Qatar and other foreign banks. A US official denied agreeing to release the money.
As well as the release of assets abroad, Tehran is demanding control of the Strait of Hormuz, payment of war reparations and a ceasefire across the region including in Lebanon, according to Iranian state TV and officials.
Tehran also wants to collect transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz.
Negotiations between the United States and Iran appeared to have concluded for now, Iran's government said early on Sunday, after a series of talks in Pakistan to end the six-week war between Washington and Tehran.
The talks in Islamabad were the first direct US-Iranian meeting in more than a decade and the highest-level discussions since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The outcome could determine the fate of the fragile two-week ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about 20% of global energy supplies that Iran has blocked since the war began. The conflict has sent global oil prices soaring and killed thousands of people.
In a post on X, Iran's government said that after 14 hours, the talks had concluded and technical experts from both sides would exchange documents.
Historic talks between the US and Iran appeared to have concluded for now, Iran’s government said early on Sunday, following several hours of talks in Pakistan that are aimed at ending the weeks-long war between Washington and Tehran.
Different Iranian media outlets, including Fars news agency and Tasnim news agency, are reporting that “serious disagreements” remain but at the suggestion of Pakistan, another round of talks will be held on Sunday morning.
The Fars news agency is reporting that another round of face-to-face talks between Iran and the US have now concluded.
“The two sides are once again exchanging texts with the presence of expert teams,” it reported.
Trump told reporters that the US “win[s] regardless of what happens” in the Iran talks in Islamabad.
.@POTUS on talks in Islamabad: "They've been meeting for many hours... We'll see what happens. Regardless, we win... Maybe they make a deal; maybe they don't. It doesn't matter. From the standpoint of America, we win." pic.twitter.com/z8R4xAX5bv
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that the talks are scheduled to continue for a few more hours.
A source cited by Iran’s Fars News Agency also said the two sides had failed to reach an understanding in the previous round and are now working on a new text, with a further round of negotiations agreed to after Pakistan proposed it.
It is nearly 4am in the Pakistani capital right now. We’ll bring you more as soon as we can.
It's after 3am and the two sides are still locked in negotiations. Before Saturday, we weren't even sure whether the US and Iranian delegations would turn up.
It's a sign there has been significant progress and points they want to work through, but unsurprisingly sticking points that are hard to overcome.
Throughout the day, there has been a tight grip on information, though some updates have leaked from various sources. It's still unclear whether delegations will break and return for a second day of negotiations.
The Lebanese group says it fired missiles at the Israeli military near Bint Jbeil in the south of the country.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Saturday, Trump claimed military victory against Iran and downplayed the importance of ongoing ceasefire negotiations involving Vice President JD Vance because “regardless what happens we win.”
“Let’s see what happens – maybe they make a deal maybe they don’t,” the president said. “It doesn’t matter. From the standpoint of America, we win.”
Trump acknowledged “very deep negotiations” with Iran. But he also said the U.S. military was searching for mines in the Strait of Hormuz, which still remained effectively closed to most freighters carrying oil and natural gas out of the Persian Gulf.
AP
The country’s Ministry of Transport announced Saturday the full resumption of maritime navigation activities effective Sunday from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., extending the decision to “all categories of marine vessels and transport modes.”
The ministry urged operators in a statement to comply with safety protocols.
It was not immediately clear whether the decision meant that Qatari vessels would be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz, which remained effectively closed as of Saturday.
AP
A spokesperson for Iran’s joint military command denied an earlier claim by the U.S. that two Navy destroyers transited the waterway, adding that “initiative over the passage of any vessel rests with the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, according to Iran’s state-media.
The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil and natural gas traded once passed, is expected to be one of the most challenging points of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, currently taking place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
AP
Netanyahu asserted that Israel’s military campaign against Iran “is not over” even though Israel has already made what he described as “historic achievements”.
“We hit them, we still have more to do,” he said.
(Al Jazeera)
The protesters filled Tel Aviv’s Habima Square on Saturday evening, holding up signs calling for an end to Israel’s “eternal war” and chanting “more suffering in Lebanon will not bring us security.”
At a smaller protest held there the previous weekend, amid missile attacks from Iran and Yemen, police dispersed the protesters using force and arrested at least 17, citing security restrictions.
Ifat Kalderon, whose cousin Ofer Kalderon was held hostage by Hamas in Gaza and released last year, told the Associated Press she came to the protest to call for Israel to put an end to its wars “in Iran, in Lebanon and in Gaza.”
She said the war with Iran had achieved no positive results. “The reality is the same as before, perhaps even worse. We need to translate everything into agreements, we can’t keep living constantly in war.”
AP
A third round of negotiations between Iran and the United States is expected to be held later tonight in Islamabad, Iran’s state television reported on Saturday, citing its correspondent covering the talks.
(Reuters)
Another round of negotiations will likely be held tonight or tomorrow, Iran's state-affiliated NOURNEWS reports, citing a source close to negotiators, news agency Reuters reported.
One phase of face-to-face negotiations between Iran and the United States in Islamabad has concluded, with the two sides now exchanging texts, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported on Saturday.
Tasnim’s correspondent said the talks, mediated by Pakistan, moved into a written exchange after the initial round of direct discussions between the delegations.
The development comes amid historic direct engagement between Washington and Tehran, the first such high-level talks in decades, aimed at stabilising a fragile ceasefire and addressing disputes over the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions, and regional tensions.
The U.S. military said on Saturday that it had started “setting conditions" for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, with two U.S. warships passing through the key waterway.
In a post on X, the U.S. Central Command said the USS Frank Peterson and USS Michael Murphy transited the Strait of Hormuz "as part of a broader mission to ensure the strait is fully clear of sea mines previously laid by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps."
"Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce," Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of Central Command, said in a statement. — Reuters
Pope Leo XIV blasts 'delusion of impotence' fueling the US-Israeli war in Iran in his strongest condemnation yet ROME (AP)
The US military said two warships transited the Strait of Hormuz and operated in the Gulf. — Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian and urged him to "seize the opportunity presented by the talks launched in Islamabad to pave the way for a lasting de-escalation".
Je me suis entretenu avec le Président iranien Massoud Pezeshkian.
Je l’ai appelé à saisir l’opportunité que représentent les discussions lancées à Islamabad pour ouvrir la voie à une désescalade durable et à un accord exigeant qui apporte des garanties solides…
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister says Iran has the "upper hand" in negotiations with the US. "Americans have not achieved their strategic goals and have suffered major defeats so far."
JUST IN: 🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister says Iran has the "upper hand" in negotiations with the US.
"Americans have not achieved their strategic goals and have suffered major defeats so far." pic.twitter.com/F3QxgwNniL
The high-ranking Iranian delegation that has arrived in Pakistan is a staunch guardian of Iran's interests with all its might, and in this vein, it will engage in negotiations with courage. In any case, our service to the people will not pause for a moment, and whatever the outcome of the negotiations may be, the government stands firmly by the people's side. — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
هیأت ایرانی عالی رتبهای که در پاکستان حاضر شده با تمام وجود حافظ منافع ایران است و در همین راستا شجاعانه مذاکره خواهد کرد. در هر صورت خدمت ما به مردم لحظهای متوقف نمیشود و هر نتیجهای از مذاکرات حاصل شود دولت پای کار مردم است.
The Strait of Hormuz will soon be open, said US President Donald Trump in his latest post on Truth Social. He added, "The United States has completely destroyed Iran’s Military, including their entire Navy and Air Force, and everything else. Their Leadership is DEAD!"
Iraq's parliament voted Saturday to elect Nizar Amidi, a political official with one of the country's two main Kurdish parties, as president, five months after a parliamentary election that didn't produce a bloc with a decisive majority.
His election comes as Iraq is reeling from the fallout of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Iraq became caught in the middle of the conflict, with Iran-backed militias launching attacks on US bases and diplomatic facilities as well as on critical energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, the US and Israel carried out airstrikes targeting the militias, some of which killed members of the Iraqi military. — AP
The Iranian Embassy in Ghana said, "America sent a destroyer warship to the strait of Hormuz to intimidate Iran before the negotiations."
It added, "No shots fired. No missiles launched. Just Iran's word. And apparently, that was enough."
America sent a destroyer warship to the strait of Hormuz to intimidate Iran before the negotiations.
Iran picked up the phone: "You have 30 minutes."
The ship turned around. It made a U-turn immediately!
Then a Pentagon official had to go on AXIOS and explain that actually it…
The US Homeland Security on Saturday confirmed ICE has arrested Eissa Seyed Hashemi, his wife Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son Seyed Mobin Hashemi in Los Angeles. Eissa Seyed Hashemi is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, an Iranian regime politician who also acted as a spokesperson during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979.
ICE arrested Eissa Seyed Hashemi, his wife Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son Seyed Mobin Hashemi in Los Angeles, California. Eissa Seyed Hashemi is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, an Iranian regime politician who also acted as a spokesperson during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979.… https://t.co/cvMJBBKgFn pic.twitter.com/NHi0s7BDKG
On Tasnim Report of US military ship retreating after Iran's warning, US official says US did not receive such a warning, the Reuters reported quoting Axios.
Indian Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, on Saturday began his visit to UAE by interacting with the members of the Indian community.
He said, "Spoke about GOI’s efforts towards their well - being and security amidst the West Asia conflict. Appreciated their contributions to the local society during these difficult times. As well as the support of the Government of the UAE in ensuring welfare of the Indian community."
Started my visit to the UAE interacting with the members of the Indian Community.
Spoke about GOI’s efforts towards their well - being and security amidst the West Asia conflict.
Appreciated their contributions to the local society during these difficult times. As well as the… pic.twitter.com/MhZKAX13S6
French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday spoke with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the situation in the Near East and Middle East.
He said, "With talks underway in Islamabad, we agreed to remain in close contact in order to contribute to de-escalation, ensure freedom of navigation, and reach an agreement that guarantees lasting peace and security in the region."
لقد أجريتُ للتوّ مكالمة هاتفية مع وليّ عهد المملكة العربية السعودية، الأمير محمد بن سلمان، بشأن الوضع في الشرق الأدنى والشرق الأوسط.
وقد أكدتُ دعمي لوقف إطلاق النار، الذي يجب احترامه بالكامل وتوسيعه من دون تأخير ليشمل لبنان أيضًا.…
The Israeli military said its air force hit infrastructure of the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon and was continuing to support its ground forces operating in southern Lebanon.
The statement came as Teheran was pressing for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in three-party talks that began Saturday afternoon between Iran and the US in Pakistan.
Earlier Saturday, the Lebanese state-run news agency reported at least three people killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. There were no reported strikes in the afternoon hours. — AP
🎯🎥WATCH: 200+ Hezbollah targets struck in Lebanon in the last 24 hours.
The IAF continues to strike Hezbollah infrastructure in order to thwart fire toward Israeli civilians. pic.twitter.com/qx3CGftZJe
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he has terminated the permanent resident status of Masoumeh Ebtekar, "the spokeswoman for the Islamic terrorists who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days".
He added, "In 2014, the Obama Administration granted visas to her son and his family to enter the United States. In June 2016, the Obama Administration gave them lawful permanent resident status via the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program."
He further said, "This week, I terminated their lawful permanent resident status and today, Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pending their removal from our country."
Masoumeh Ebtekar - also known as "Screaming Mary" - was the spokeswoman for the Islamic terrorists who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days - subjecting them to beatings, starvation, and mock executions.
In 2014, the Obama…
Iranian experts team have joined talks in Islamabad, the Reuters reported citing a reporter of the Iran State TV.
Senior Iranian military official denies report of any US vessel crossing the Strait of Hormuz, the Reuters reported citing Iranian State TV.
The Iranian Consulate in Najaf, Iraq, posted on X and said "in 40 hours, four damaged bridges were rebuilt following the Israeli regime's attacks on the railway line from southern Iran to Mashhad".
ليس خلال 40 عامًا ولا 40 يومًا، بل خلال 40 ساعة، أُعيد بناء أربعة جسور متضرّرة جرّاء هجمات النظام الإسرائيلي على خطّ السكك الحديدية من جنوب إيران إلى مشهد. pic.twitter.com/hXF3YGGtgO
The three-way Islamabad Talks were face-to-face between Steve Witkoff, J D Vance, Jared Kushner from the US side, Iran's Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and Abbas Araghchi and Pakistan's Army Chief, the Reuters reported quoting a source.
US President Donald Trump said, "We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to Countries all over the World, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others."
On Pakistan mediating US-Iran negotiations, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "Do you know what kind of relationship Pakistan has with Washington...There have been some allegations that Washington wrote that tweet for the Pakistani PM, because it had the heading, 'Draft for Pakistan PM'. If you and I wrote something for the Indian Prime Minister, would we write 'Draft for India's PM' above it? And the language used was also Washington's language. Also, some of the phrases were similar to those used by Trump a few hours ago. Only Pakistan can play the kind of role it has played with Washington..."
#watch | Delhi | On Pakistan mediating US-Iran negotiations, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "Do you know what kind of relationship Pakistan has with Washington...There have been some allegations that Washington wrote that tweet for the Pakistani PM, because it had the heading,… pic.twitter.com/6rRedUXJC4
US President Donald Trump said several countries are heading to the US to load up with oil because "people are seeing there are other alternatives to going through the Strait.” Trump was speaking with News Nation correspondent Kellie Meyer.
BREAKING I just spoke with President Trump on the phone about talks with Iran and his latest Truth social post touting US oil and gas supply.
“Take a look out of the great seas of our world many of them heading to the United States to load up with oil, we have plenty of it.”…
Pakistan PMO releases video of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif meeting with the Iranian delegation at the Islamabad Talks on Saturday.
Islamabad April 11 ,2026.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with the Iranian delegation at the Islamabad Talks today.
The Iranian side was led by the Honorable Speaker of the Iranian Consultative Assembly, Mr. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, assisted by Foreign… pic.twitter.com/xUSCq9sGpS
Iran has been in touch with Lebanon to make sure ceasefire commitments were being respected on all fronts, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson told state TV on Saturday from Islamabad, where talks involving senior U.S. and Iranian officials are taking place to end their six-week-old war.
Lebanese officials close to Hezbollah told Reuters on Friday that the group was supportive of the Pakistan dialogue, and said it was the right approach instead of a separate set of talks in Washington next week. — Reuters
The Iranian Embassy in Japan said, "The Strait of Hormuz does not constitute 'international waters.' Rather, it is composed of the territorial seas of Iran and Oman. There is even no 'corridor' of high seas or an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) running through its center, hence, every ship passes through the terrotirial waters of Iran or Oman."
Having already responded to the second part of the post, here is a quick legal reminder for the author:
The Strait of Hormuz does not constitute 'international waters.' Rather, it is composed of the territorial seas of Iran and Oman. There is even no 'corridor' of high seas or… pic.twitter.com/hNmjwuFAkU
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and discussed the Middle East situation. He also discussed with Erdogan the importance of including Lebanon in the Iran ceasefire and the importance of opening up Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump said massive numbers of "completely empty oil tankers, some of the largest anywhere in the world, are heading right now to United States to load up with the best and “sweetest” oil (and gas!) anywhere in the World."
Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan on Saturday took to X ahead of the US-Iran talks and said, " Today, Islamabad is host to Pakistan's good offices to help end an illegal war against the Iranian nation; a war that is not only a blatant crime against the Iranian nation and civilization, but also has endangered the security of the region and the world. It remains to be seen whether the U.S. honors the mediation efforts of the host in good office or...?!"
Today, Islamabad is host to Pakistan's good offices to help end an illegal war against the Iranian nation; a war that is not only a blatant crime against the Iranian nation and civilization, but also has endangered the security of the region and the world. It remains to be seen…
The Iranian negotiating delegation met for the second time on Saturday with the Chief of the Army Staff of Pakistan in Islamabad, following their previous meeting on Friday night, the Mehr News Agency reported.
The Iranian negotiating delegation met for the second time today with Chief of the Army Staff of Pakistan in Islamabad, following their previous meeting on Friday night. pic.twitter.com/zttGqZLUxl
Pakistan PM's office shares video of JD Vance meeting Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad ahead of the talks between US and Iran.
Islamabad April 11 ,2026
As the Islamabad Talks commenced today, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with His Excellency JD Vance, Vice President of the United States of America.
The U.S. Vice President was assisted by Special Envoy Steve… pic.twitter.com/XcH5x1VlHl
Saudi Arabia's defence ministry said on Saturday that a Pakistani military force, including fighter jets, had arrived at the King Abdulaziz Air Base under a defence pact between the two countries.
In its statement, the ministry said the deployment aimed to strengthen joint defence cooperation and support regional and international security and stability. — Reuters
A US official on Saturday denied reports that Washington has agreed to unfreeze Iranian assets. Reuters reported earlier in the day that the US had agreed to release Iranian frozen assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, citing a senior Iranian source. (Reuters)
"Prime Minister expressed the hope that these talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office said. (Reuters)
US Vice President Vance meets Premier Sharif ahead of talks with Iranian negotiators in Islamabad, Anadolu reported quoting Pakistani government sources.
Pakistan is making efforts to ensure that the US and Iran hold direct negotiations with Pakistani participation, a diplomatic source in Islamabad told Al Jazeera Arabic’s correspondent.
Saudi Arabia's finance minister, Mohammed Al-Jadaan, is in Islamabad in a show of “economic support,” Al Jazeera reported.
This comes days after Pakistan said it would return $3 billion in loans to the United Arab Emirates, accumulated since 2018.
The minister is not attending the talks.
On Islamabad peace talks, Congress MP Imran Masood says, "... This would certainly have taken place in India if foreign policy and diplomacy had been handled properly. Pakistan has no connection with Iran. In fact, Iran stood with us at the United Nations on the Kashmir issue, opposing Pakistan. So Iran’s relationship was not with Pakistan, but with India."
#watch | Delhi: On Islamabad peace talks, Congress MP Imran Masood says, "... This would certainly have taken place in India if foreign policy and diplomacy had been handled properly. Pakistan has no connection with Iran. In fact, Iran stood with us at the United Nations on the… pic.twitter.com/Ka4ljGMVAx
The Palestinian group, Hamas, has welcomed the talks “aimed at a complete and comprehensive end” to the US-Israeli war on Iran.
“We look forward to the success of the efforts exerted by Pakistan, the sponsor of these negotiations, and the other mediating countries, in creating hope for positive outcomes that will strengthen stability, foster unity among Arab and Islamic nations,” the group said, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
The Iranian delegation, led by parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and accompanied by foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, has held talks with Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Details of the talks are awaited.
(Al Jazeera)
The US has agreed to release Iran's frozen assets "held in Qatar and other foreign banks," a senior Iranian source told news agency Reuters.
The source said that Tehran sees it as a test of goodwill and a sign of seriousness about a durable peace deal.
He added that the gesture is also "directly linked to ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz" ahead of any durable peace agreement.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran entered Saturday’s talks with the US with “deep distrust” because of a pair of attacks his country sustained in the middle of negotiations over its nuclear program.
Araghchi’s office said in a post on Telegram that Iran would fight back if it was attacked.
He also called for Israeli attacks on Lebanon to stop.
(AP)
The Iranian delegation arrived at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad for the ceasefire talks with the US delegation, reported the Tehran Times. The US-Iran talks to be held at the Serena Hotel. The venue for any potential negotiations between Iranian and American teams has been identified as the Serena Hotel, it added.
Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad Serena Hotel. pic.twitter.com/Euh95ZhMd7
In Islamabad, the streets of a normally bustling capital were deserted Saturday as security forces sealed roads ahead of the US-Iran ceasefire talks.
Paramilitary soldiers patrol to ensure security ahead of the US-Iran talks, in Islamabad on Saturday, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo)
A Pakistani Army helicopter flies ahead of the US-Iran talks, in Islamabad, on April 11, 2026. (AP Photo)
Police personnel check vehicles as part of security measures on a road leading to the Red Zone, an area with government offices, as delegations from the United States and Iran are expected to hold high-stakes talks, in Islamabad, on April 11, 2026. (REUTERS)
Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran’s first vice president, said peace talks between the US and Iran could produce a deal if Washington worked to fulfil American interests in line with President Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine.
Aref wrote in a social media post that there would be no deal “if we face representatives of ‘Israel first’.”
He warned “the world will face greater costs” if the talks failed and the US and Israel resumed the war on Iran.
(AP)
Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran’s first vice president, said peace talks between the US and Iran could produce a deal if Washington worked to fulfil American interests in line with President Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine.
Aref wrote in a social media post that there would be no deal “if we face representatives of ‘Israel first’.”
He warned “the world will face greater costs” if the talks failed and the US and Israel resumed the war on Iran.
(AP)
The confirmed list of key officials in the Iranian delegation participating in the talks in Pakistan:
(Al Jazeera)
The Iranian delegation is set to meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported. Sharif and his government officials are mediating the Iran-US ceasefire talks in Islamabad.
(Al Jazeera)
Ahead of the peace talks in Islamabad, Iran sought to make a statement by putting blood-stained school bags, shoes, white flowers and photographs of children from Iran’s Minab on a flight to Pakistan. Iran embassies shared the video of the flight cabin, saying: “The Children of Minab are always with us.” The flight carried the Iranian delegation to Islamabad for talks with the United States. Read the full report here
The UK is set to host a fresh round of negotiations with non-US allies on opening the Strait of Hormuz next week. A British official told Politico on Friday that officials from 41 countries will convene for the first time since the ceasefire with Iran was announced.
It is not yet clear on which day the talks will happen. They are likely to be at a more junior level than a previous round, which took place with the participation of foreign ministers on April 2.
The meeting will oppose the proposal for tolls to be charged for passage through the strait, one of Iran’s suggestions as part of ceasefire talks, news agency the Associated Press repored.
Iran has been unable to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as it struggles to locate and remove naval mines it allegedly deployed during the conflict, US officials told The New York Times. According to them, Iran laid the mines in a scattered manner and did not properly document their locations. Even those that were recorded may have drifted due to water movement, making removal more difficult.
Naval mines are notoriously hard to clear, and US officials noted that even the American military lacks fully reliable methods to extract them.
The situation could complicate peace talks scheduled in Islamabad this weekend, as it may also explain why Iran has not yet complied with US President Donald Trump’s demand to reopen the key shipping route.
Pakistan’s foreign minister said he hopes the US and Iran engage constructively in peace talks, as the US delegation landed in the Pakistani capital a short while ago.
Ishaq Dar reiterated Islamabad’s desire to continue facilitating the parties to reach a “lasting and durable solution to the conflict,” according to a Pakistani foreign ministry statement.
Iran’s delegation arrived in Islamabad late last night.
(Al Jazeera)
US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Islamabad for peace talks with Iran.
#watch | Pakistan: US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Islamabad for peace talks with Iran.
(Video Source: US Network Pool via Reuters; quality as incoming) pic.twitter.com/oHjsaiSigX
A senior Pakistani source praised JD Vance's efforts in pushing the US and Iran towards a diplomatic solution, telling CNN that the US Vice President played a key role in bringing about the Islamabad talks.
The source expects negotiations to take a few days to secure a ceasefire and hopes Vance will stay longer to help facilitate this.
Meanwhile, a Gulf source expressed concerns about Iran's trust in US special envoy Steve Witkoff, citing past negotiations cut short by US strikes.
The Iranian negotiators have arrived, as Islamabad is awaiting the arrival of the US delegation.
In preparation over the past few days security has been tightened and roads closed.
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reports that an Israeli air strike targeting a residential building in the town of Mayfadoun in the Nabatieh district of southern Lebanon killed three people earlier today.
The strike destroyed the residential building, according to the NNA report.
Sources in Pakistan have told the Reuters news agency that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have landed in Islamabad for talks with Iran.
A US government plane carrying top US officials landed in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Saturday for peace talks with Iran, two Pakistani sources told Reuters.
Washington and Tehran are due to begin negotiations seeking to end the six-week-old Iran war that has killed thousands of people across the Middle East, disrupted energy supplies, fed inflation and slowed the global economy.
Earlier we heard from Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is leading the country's delegation in peace talks with the US in Islamad.
"We have good intentions but we do not trust", he said after landing in Pakistan, according to the BBC's US news partner CBS.
"Our experience in negotiating with the Americans has always been met with failure and broken promises," he continued.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is welcoming the planned US-Iran peace talks and urging for both sides to go into them with "good faith".
Speaking at the United Nations' press briefing on Friday, the secretary-general's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres "calls on the parties to seize this diplomatic opportunity to engage in good faith toward a lasting and comprehensive agreement, with a view to deescalation and the prevention of a return to hostilities."
"The Secretary-General reiterates that there is no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes, in full accordance with international law, including the UN Charter," Dujarric said.
Guterres's personal envoy is in the region to support diplomatic efforts, she added.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s parliament and widely viewed as a “pragmatic hardliner”, has emerged as a consequential political figure with the risky mandate to negotiate peace with the United States. For any Iranian leader, engaging an adversary denounced for decades as the “Great Satan” and one that has inflicted significant military damage on Iran until early this week, is no easy task. Read more
Vice President JD Vance speaks to the press before boarding Air Force Two, Friday, April 10, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., for expected departure to Pakistan, for talks on Iran. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, pool)
US Vice-President JD Vance is on his way to Pakistan to lead the US delegation in the peace talks with Iran.
Before setting off, he told reporters "if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we are certainly willing to extend an open hand." His plane, Air Force Two, made a scheduled refuelling stop in Paris.
But the vice-president added a warning too: "If they're going to try to play us, then they're going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive."
Trump, he said, had given the US negotiating team "some pretty clear guidelines".
Also on the US delegation is the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who served as an adviser during Trump's first term and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
Both of these men have been involved in ceasefire negotiations on behalf of the US for an end to the Israel-Gaza war and talks to stop fighting between Russia and Ukraine.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency is reporting that there are 71 people in Tehran’s delegation to Islamabad, including the main negotiating delegation, expert advisers, media representatives, as well as diplomatic and security teams.
As we’ve been reporting, the negotiating team is being led by Iran’s parliamentary speaker Ghalibaf.
According to Tasnim, other negotiators include:
The outcome of talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad could affect millions of lives across the Middle East and shape the global economy, according to CNN.
The Pakistani capital has been placed under tight security, with a two-day public holiday declared ahead of the arrival of both delegations. The meeting follows a fragile two-week ceasefire that has, for now, paused direct confrontation.
However, continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon and disagreements over whether the ceasefire applies there could complicate the discussions.
Iran’s state-imposed blocking of internet sites has now passed 1,000 hours, the monitoring group NetBlocks says.
Iran’s government is heavily restricting internet access across the country, in what Netblocks has said is the longest nation-scale internet restriction of its kind on record in any country.
1000 hours. pic.twitter.com/9nr87aSycJ
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