Iran accepts Pakistan offers to host Iran-US talks in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD/TEHRAN: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held a warm and cordial telephone conversation lasting more than 45 minutes, during which they discussed the ceasefire, upcoming negotiations and regional developments, according to a statement issued by the PM Office.

During the call, Prime Minister Sharif congratulated the Iranian leadership on agreeing to a ceasefire and praised their “wisdom and foresight” in opting for de-escalation.

Sharif also expressed respect for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and reiterated Pakistan’s support for efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace.

The Pakistani premier formally offered to host negotiations between Iran and the United States in Islamabad this week, an offer that was accepted by Iran.

President Pezeshkian thanked Sharif and praised Pakistan’s leadership for its role in facilitating the temporary ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

He also extended good wishes for the people of Pakistan and confirmed Iran’s participation in the upcoming talks in Islamabad, according to the sources.

The Iranian president welcomed efforts to pursue dialogue for sustainable peace and expressed hope that the negotiations would produce positive results.

Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact as the diplomatic process moves forward, the sources said.

The call comes amid ongoing efforts to stabilise the region following a ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States, with Islamabad emerging as a key venue for talks aimed at securing a broader settlement.

Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and US Vice President JD Vance are expected to lead their respective delegations at high-stakes talks in Islamabad on Friday, as a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran opens a narrow window for diplomacy.

Iran’s state news agency ISNA reported that Ghalibaf would head Tehran’s negotiating team, while Vance is likely to represent the United States, marking a rare high-level engagement between the two sides after weeks of escalating hostilities.

The talks follow a two-week ceasefire announced earlier after US President Donald Trump said he would halt military action against Iran following conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s military chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

The truce, contingent on Iran ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, has eased fears of a wider regional war and allowed diplomatic efforts to gain momentum.

Iran is expected to table a broad 10-point proposal during the Islamabad talks, covering not only its nuclear programme and regional security concerns but also the lifting of primary and secondary US sanctions imposed over the past four decades, according to ISNA.

The negotiations are likely to test whether both sides can move beyond the immediate ceasefire toward a more durable agreement, with deep mistrust still overshadowing relations.

Trump said he believed China had played a role in bringing Iran to the negotiating table, although Beijing has not provided details of its involvement. China’s foreign ministry said it welcomed the ceasefire and had consistently called for an immediate halt to hostilities and a return to political dialogue.

The ceasefire has drawn broad international support, with countries including France, Saudi Arabia and China praising Pakistan’s mediation efforts in helping secure the agreement.