Iranian Delegation Led by Qalibaf Arrives in Islamabad for Talks with US
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s negotiation delegation, headed by Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, has arrived in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, to engage in talks with the American side under the initiative of the Pakistani Prime Minister. These negotiations are taking place while Iranian officials have conditioned their official commencement on the US acceptance of Tehran’s preconditions.
According to reports, the delegation includes representatives from security, political, military, economic, and legal sectors. Accompanying Qalibaf on this trip are Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Secretary of the Supreme National Defense Council Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, and several members of parliament.
At the same time, JD Vance, the Vice President of the United States, along with several US officials, are present in Islamabad. It has been reported that this round of talks follows Iran’s agreement to a ceasefire under its stipulated conditions and is being held at the official invitation of the Pakistani Prime Minister.
Upon his arrival in Islamabad and in response to reporters’ questions about the outlook of the negotiations, Qalibaf stated that previous talks with the US have faced challenges and that Tehran has concerns about the counterpart’s commitment. He emphasized that Iran “has goodwill, but no trust,” and that reaching an agreement depends on the US recognizing Iran’s rights.
The Speaker of Iran’s parliament added that if the American side is prepared to reach a genuine agreement and recognize Iran’s rights, Tehran will also be ready to advance the negotiations. According to him, if the talks do not yield results, Iran will pursue its options based on national interests.
