Islamabad: High

The American vice president J.D. Vance arrived in Islamabad on Saturday for the first round of discussions with Iranian officials aiming to turn a two-week ceasefire into a sustainable framework for maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, as both sides have expressed differing positions.

The Iranian delegation is led by Parliament President Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. On the American side, J.D. Vance is leading the discussions, accompanied by Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the American president.

Before departing for Pakistan, the vice president warned Iran against any attempt to “play” with the United States, stating that American negotiators would show no leniency.

American and Iranian officials received by the Pakistani Prime Minister

The Iranian delegation met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Saturday, with no official comments from either party. J.D. Vance also spoke with him, alongside his negotiation team.

As the talks are set to begin, their specific details remain unclear. Reports suggest a ten-point plan proposed by Iran, which Donald Trump has deemed a “viable basis for negotiation,” as well as a fifteen-point plan developed by Washington, neither of which has been made public.

Meanwhile, media outlets have reported ongoing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, resulting in at least ten deaths.

Main subjects under discussion

Sanctions, the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear enrichment, and Israeli strikes in Lebanon are among the key issues on the agenda for discussions in Islamabad.

Washington demands Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime passage that Iran has effectively blocked in retaliation to American-Israeli strikes.

Iran suggests charging transit fees to ships using this passage and seeks to assert control over this narrow passage, an option rejected by the United States.

However, President Donald Trump has mentioned the idea of a “joint venture” between the United States and Iran to establish safe passages in the strait, a proposal that has raised concerns in Europe and sparked reactions at the beginning of the week.

“The Strait of Hormuz, like any other sea passage, is a global public good, which implies free navigation. Freedom of navigation must be restored,” said a European Commission spokesperson on Thursday.

Tehran insists that the talks can only succeed if a ceasefire is extended to Lebanon and if frozen Iranian assets are unfrozen.

According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Tehran approaches Saturday’s discussions with the United States with “deep mistrust” after being the target of two attacks during negotiations on its nuclear program.

In a social media post, Araghchi’s office, which called for an end to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, warned that Iran would retaliate in the event of a new attack.

The conflict has heavily disrupted the Persian Gulf region, affecting infrastructure in six countries and causing a global surge in oil prices.

At least 3,000 people have been killed in Iran, 1,953 in Lebanon due to Israeli strikes, 23 in Israel, and over a dozen in the Arab Gulf states from Iranian attacks.

Additional sources – AP