A small Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Islamabad for bilateral discussions with Pakistani officials on Friday before ultimately departing the country. The latest developments have thrown a second round of planned peace talks with the U.S. into disarray, as a U.S. delegation is also traveling to Islamabad on Saturday.
Araghchi arrived in Islamabad late Friday night. According to a statement from the Iranian government, the delegation was small and focused on bilateral and regional matters rather than direct engagement with any U.S. representatives.
Shortly after landing, Iranian officials clarified that no face-to-face meetings with the U.S. side were planned during the trip.
The Iranian delegation held multiple meetings with Pakistani government officials on Friday evening and Saturday morning, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. Pakistan’s foreign ministry reported that Araghchi appreciated Pakistan’s “consistent and constructive facilitation role” during phone calls preceding the visit and in-person meetings.
Araghchi ultimately left the country on Saturday morning following the meetings. The US delegation, however, remains scheduled to proceed to Pakistan, as the White House announced that special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner would travel to Islamabad on Saturday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the envoys would go “to hear the Iranians out. We hope progress will be made and we hope that positive developments will come from this meeting.”
This weekend’s developments follow the first round of US-Iran talks held in Islamabad on April 11. Those discussions, which involved high-level representatives from both sides, concluded without an agreement.
The current Iranian visit was framed by Tehran as part of a broader regional tour that includes subsequent stops in Oman and Russia. Pakistani officials described the latest engagement as advancing mediation, with one unnamed official noting a “high likelihood of a breakthrough” between the U.S. and Iran on key issues.
The talks facilitated by Pakistan are expected to focus on restoring and solidifying a ceasefire in the US-Iran conflict, which President Trump extended indefinitely earlier this week. Core agenda items include Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. sanctions relief, and secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for all vessels, which has been effectively halted since hostilities erupted on February 28.
