Islamabad, Pakistan – In a dramatic development that breaks the diplomatic deadlock, Pakistani officials announced on Monday that the Iranian delegation will participate in the second round of negotiations with the United States scheduled to be held in Islamabad. This news comes at a time of unprecedented military tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, and amid sharply conflicting official statements emanating from Tehran.
Intensive diplomatic efforts
Pakistani sources told Anadolu Agency that the Iranian delegation, which includes Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, is expected to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday. This visit is particularly significant given the level of US representation. The US delegation is headed by Vice President J.D. Vance and includes Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, as well as Middle East envoy Steve Wittkopf.
Conflicting positions in Tehran
The political scene within Iran reflects a state of division or a division of roles. While Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei stated this morning that Tehran “currently has no plan to hold a second round of talks,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s remarks were more conciliatory. He emphasized that “war would not be in anyone’s interest” and stressed the need to resort to all diplomatic and rational means to de-escalate tensions. Conversely, media reports close to decision-making circles in Tehran insist that the Iranian delegation will not actually sit at the negotiating table unless the US Navy’s naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is lifted. This is the condition Tehran is setting as a “mandatory” goodwill gesture before any direct dialogue.
Crossroads
This round of negotiations in Islamabad presents the region with a true test: either Pakistani mediation succeeds in finding a middle ground that guarantees the lifting of the naval blockade in exchange for political concessions, or the “field stalemate” will continue. Observers believe that Washington’s dispatch of J.D. Vance and Jared Kushner reflects Trump’s desire to resolve the Iranian issue through a “comprehensive deal” that ends the maritime threats in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Tehran is trying to balance the pressures of the economic sanctions with maintaining its defense capabilities and regional influence. As the Iranian delegation is expected to arrive tomorrow, all eyes remain on Islamabad as the last bastion of diplomacy against the drums of war.
