Pakistan Sets Modest Goal for US-Iran Summit Talks

US-Iran Talks Begin in Islamabad

A two-day meeting between US and Iranian delegations is set to take place in Islamabad on Saturday, as part of a Pakistan-mediated effort to keep dialogue alive. The talks come six weeks after the US and Israel launched their war on Iran following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

US Vice President JD Vance will lead the American team, which also includes President Donald Trump’s chief negotiator Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Iranian representatives are expected to be led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Pakistan aims for a realistic outcome from the negotiations, with officials describing it as a modest goal. Experts say there is little expectation of a major breakthrough on Saturday, but Pakistan hopes to build on a truce that has led to global relief.

The talks will be held at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, where the two teams will stay and negotiate separately, with Pakistani officials acting as intermediaries. This type of negotiation is known as proximity talks, which have been used before by Pakistan in other international negotiations.

Pakistan’s experience with such dialogue dates back to 1988, when it participated in UN-mediated indirect talks on the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. The country has also received support for its mediation efforts from world leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and several European countries.

The meeting comes after a two-week ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran was announced earlier this month.

Source: Al Jazeera