The Pakistani capital, Islamabad, is set to host negotiations between the United States and Iran on Saturday, April 11, as part of a two-week ceasefire to end the conflict that began on February 28. However, deep mistrust and regional tensions— including ongoing Israeli bombings in Lebanon— threaten the talks. Antagonistic claims from Tehran and Washington, as well as doubts about the sustainability of the ceasefire, also loom over the process.
Who will participate?
In a sign of prevailing mistrust and uncertainty, the Iranian delegation did not appear to have arrived in Islamabad on Friday, April 10, according to the Iranian state news agency Tasnim, which is close to the Revolutionary Guards. Despite this, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday evening that the delegation had already reached the Pakistani capital.
If all goes as planned, the Iranian delegation will be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtchi. “It is currently unknown whether a representative from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will participate in the talks,” reported Qatari media outlet Al-Jazeera.
