US–Iran War LIVE: Ongoing clashes between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah is putting pressure on an already fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
US Iran War LIVE: What happened in the last few hours?
Iran’s delegation led by Iranian Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, arrived in Islamabad for ceasefire talks with the United States.
Official sources say the Islamabad talks will cover sensitive points, including Iran’s nuclear enrichment and the free flow of trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
Vance, while he left for Pakistan, told reporters, “We’re going to try to have a positive negotiation,”
However Bagher said, “Our experience of negotiations with the Americans has always been met with failure and breach of promise. They attacked us twice in the middle of the negotiations. We have goodwill but no trust.”
Iran’s parliament speaker demanded a truce in Lebanon and the release of his country’s blocked assets on Friday as Vance warned Tehran not to “play” Washington in talks scheduled to start in Pakistan.
Trump said that Iran has “no cards” in upcoming talks with the United States, apart from its effective stranglehold on the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping channel
In a separate interview, he noted US warships are being reloaded with weaponry to strike Iran if the talks in Pakistan fail to produce a deal. “We have a reset going. We’re loading up the ships with the best ammunition, the best weapons ever made — even better than what we did previously and we blew them apart,” the Post quoted Trump as saying.
Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said Israel refused to discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah but agreed to begin formal peace talks with the Lebanese government.
Lebanon’s presidency said Friday a meeting will be held at the US State Department on Tuesday “to discuss declaring a ceasefire and the start date for negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under US auspices,” according to a statement.
US–Iran War LIVE: Who are the negotiators?
Vance will lead the American team, joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner. Meanwhile, Abbas Araghchi and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, along with other security and economic officials will take part in the meeting
US–Iran War LIVE: Islamabad on lockdown; Holiday declared, luxury hotels sealed
Authorities in Islamabad in the capital announced a two-day public holiday on Thursday and Friday.
The streets are flooded with armed security personnel in military fatigues, traffic diversions are in place and police checkpoints are set up.
The Serena Hotel — the sprawling luxury venue favoured by international cricket teams — was being sealed off on Thursday in preparation for the arrival of delegates. It asked its guests to clear out on Wednesday. A similar cordon was evident at the nearby Marriott, the imposing grey accommodation on the city’s northeast fringe.
Security is at the forefront of officials’ minds. Top hotels across the country have been a frequent target for militancy in the past.
US–Iran War LIVE: JD Vance’s blunt warning to Iran, ‘Positive outcome expected—but don’t try to play us’
US vice president JD Vance, speaking as he headed to Pakistan, said he is expecting a positive outcome from the Islamabad talks but added, “If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive.”
US–Iran War LIVE: What are likely to be discussed in the meeting?
The talks will canvass several sensitive points, including Iran’s nuclear enrichment and the free flow of trade through the strategic Strait of Hormuz maritime chokepoint.
The talks themselves are expected to be indirect: the two delegations sitting in separate rooms with Pakistani officials shuttling proposals between them, mirroring the format used in earlier Oman-mediated rounds.
US–Iran War LIVE: When are the Islamabad talks set to take place?
The Iranian delegation led by its Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, along with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, would participate in the Islamabad Talks slated to begin later Saturday, after the arrival of the US delegation led by Vice President J D Vance, which was on its way to Islamabad.
US Iran War LIVE: Trump warns Iran, ‘No tolls in Strait of Hormuz’—slams ‘extortion’ bid
Donald Trump said US would not allow any attempt by Iran to impose tolls on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
He said, “No, we’re not going to allow that, it’s international water. If they’re doing that, we’re not going to let that happen”
This come a day after he strongly criticised Tehran over its reported proposal to levy transit fees on ships crossing the Strait.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump he said, “The Iranians don’t seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short-term extortion of the World by using International Waterways. The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!”
US Iran War LIVE: Iran delegates reach Islamabad, says ‘have goodwill but no trust’
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Friday reiterated Tehran’s deep mistrust of the US, saying past talks have repeatedly ended in failure and broken promises, even as he stressed Iran’s continued goodwill.
“Our experience of negotiations with the Americans has always been met with failure and breach of promise. They attacked us twice in the middle of the negotiations. We have goodwill but no trust,” he said.
Iran delegates reached Islamabad on Saturday for talks with the US
About the Author
Sanchari Ghosh is a Chief Content Producer at Livemint with 12 years of experience. She takes a keen interest in all things news. Before joining LiveMint, Sanchari worked with BloombergQuint, Outlook Money, Times of India & DNA. Off duty, Sanchari is a sports enthusiast at heart and alternates between tennis, football, and cricket.
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