Trilateral discussions are taking place in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, between the United States, Iran, and Pakistan, in a friendly atmosphere, in an effort aimed at consolidating the ceasefire and opening the way for a comprehensive solution to regional tensions.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed today, Saturday, that his country’s delegation is negotiating “courageously” and strongly defends Iran’s interests. He wrote in a post on the “X” platform that the high-level Iranian delegation in Pakistan “will enter into the negotiations with courage,” stressing that serving the Iranian people will remain a priority regardless of the results of the talks, and that the government will remain by its people in all circumstances.
On the other hand, French President Emmanuel Macron reported that he had made a call with his Iranian counterpart, during which he stressed the need to exploit the Islamabad talks to achieve a sustainable calm in the region. He explained in a post on “X” that he urged “Bezeshkian” to take advantage of the opportunity to permanently reduce the escalation and reach a solid agreement that provides strong guarantees for the security of the region with the participation of all concerned countries.
Macron also called on Iran to expedite the restoration of freedom and security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the importance of fully adhering to the ceasefire, including in Lebanon, in a position that reflects Paris’s keenness to expand the scope of the calm to include various areas of tension in the region.
These statements coincide with the launch of direct “face-to-face” negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad, which was approved by the White House, while official Iranian media reported that the talks began after the preconditions set by Tehran were met.
The Iranian delegation, headed by Parliament Speaker Muhammad Baqir Qalibaf, and the American delegation met with the Pakistani Prime Minister separately, where the Iranian side presented its proposals, which include what it called its “red lines,” including the Strait of Hormuz file, war reparations, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and a ceasefire throughout the region. The Iranian delegation also held a meeting with the Pakistani Army Commander following its arrival in Islamabad.
Qalibaf stressed that his country is ready to reach an agreement if Washington makes a “real” offer that recognizes Iran’s rights, stressing that Tehran shows good faith but does not trust the United States.
The Islamabad talks come six weeks after a regional war broke out on February 28 between Iran on the one hand and Israel and the United States on the other, before the Pakistani Prime Minister announced on April 8 that a temporary ceasefire had been reached for two weeks, which opened the way for a negotiating path sponsored by Islamabad with broad international support.
These negotiations are receiving great international attention, due to their connection to sensitive issues including the Iranian nuclear program, the security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and calming the regional fronts, especially in Lebanon. It also coincides with repeated warnings from US President Donald Trump of the possibility of resuming military operations if an agreement fails to be reached.
The international community hopes that the Islamabad talks will succeed in strengthening the fragile ceasefire and turning it into a permanent agreement that reduces the risks of escalation and establishes a new phase of relative stability in the Middle East.
