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A US delegation led by Vice-President JD Vance held historic face-to-face talks with top Iranian negotiators in Pakistan on Saturday to reach a peace agreement to end the six-week war in West Asia that has paralysed global energy markets and disrupted trade.
The Pakistan-brokered talks—the first direct, high-level engagement between the two sides since the 1979 Islamic Revolution—are being watched globally amid increasing expectations of a breakthrough.
Ahead of the trilateral negotiations in Islamabad, the Vance-led US team and the Iranian delegation headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf held separate meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“After Pakistan PM Sharif held separate meetings with both the delegations, formal round of direct negotiations between Iran and the United States has officially begun,” a senior Pakistani official told PTI.
Pakistan’s state-run PTV said Iranian and US officials sat across the table for “landmark peace negotiations.” The format of the talks was not very clear.
The official cited above said the Pakistan Foreign Office is likely to issue a statement after the conclusion of the first round of talks between the two warring parties.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the negotiations have moved beyond general issues and entered technical-level discussions on “certain topics”.
While Vance is accompanied by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, the Ghalibaf-led Iranian delegation comprised Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Supreme National Defence Council Secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati.
The two sides travelled to Islamabad on Saturday for the talks, four days after Iran and the US announced a two-week ceasefire. However, a massive wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon, killing more than 300 people, has left the truce in tatters.
While Tehran claimed the assault violated the terms of the ceasefire understanding, the US and Israel said Lebanon was not part of the deal.
Earlier, both delegations were received at the Nur Khan airbase by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi.
In his meeting with the Iranian delegation, Prime Minister Sharif affirmed Pakistan’s sincere resolve to continue playing its role as a mediator towards achieving meaningful results from the peace talks.
Sharif, during his meeting with the American delegation, expressed hope that the talks between the US and Iran would lead to a durable peace in West Asia. (Agencies)
April 11, 2026 11:01 pm
The US military said two destroyers transited the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran's state media, however, earlier said Iran forced a US military ship that was attempting to cross the strait to turn around.
April 11, 2026 10:14 pm
Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran’s first vice president, said on Saturday US-Iran peace talks could produce a deal if US officials worked in the interest of their country in line with President Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine. “However, if we face representatives of Israel First,’ there will be no deal,” Aref said in a social media post. He warned that “the world will face greater costs,” if the talks failed and the US and Israel resumed the war against Iran.
April 11, 2026 10:00 pm
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to help achieve peace between the US and Iran, as the two sides settle for talks amid a temporary ceasefire. Sharif made the remarks during a meeting with an Iranian delegation led by Speaker of the Iranian Consultative Assembly Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, which discussed issues related to the ongoing peace efforts as well as bilateral ties. The delegation also included Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshall Syed Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi attended the meeting from the Pakistani side.
April 11, 2026 10:00 pm
The US president posted on social media that Iran's military has been destroyed and that America is beginning to open up the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway chokepoint used by Iran to restrict the shipping of 20 per cent of the world's oil supplies. It was unclear from the post if Trump was referring to the possible use of mines in the Strait of Hormuz or Iran's broader ability to control the area. "We're now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favour to Countries all over the World, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others," Trump posted. "Incredibly, they don't have the Courage or Will to do this work themselves."
April 11, 2026 8:53 pm
US Vice President JD Vance landed in Pakistan on Saturday to hold high-stakes talks with Iran with an aim to reach a permanent peace agreement to end the war in West Asia that has crippled global energy supplies and caused widespread economic disruptions. Vance, accompanied by several top American officials, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, arrived in Islamabad hours after an Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, reached the Pakistani capital city. The US Vice President was received at the airport by Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the Nur Khan airbase.
April 11, 2026 7:26 pm
The Israeli military said its air force hit infrastructure of the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon and was continuing to support its ground forces operating in southern Lebanon. The statement came as Teheran was pressing for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in three-party talks that began Saturday afternoon between Iran and the US in Pakistan.
April 11, 2026 5:39 pm
Strikes on southern Lebanon continued on Saturday morning, Lebanese state media said. Reuters reporters heard an Israeli surveillance drone flying over the Lebanese capital Beirut from Friday night into the next morning and warplanes broke the sound barrier twice over the city. Hezbollah announced it had conducted several military operations against Israeli positions on Saturday, both within Lebanese territory and in northern Israel. Israeli and Lebanese officials will hold talks in Washington on Tuesday, both sides said, amid conflicting accounts on what those talks would cover.
April 11, 2026 5:36 pm
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the lead-up to the US-Iran peace talks and hailed Islamabad's "critical role" in negotiating a ceasefire in West Asia. Downing Street said the leaders agreed on the urgency to ensure the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz during their phone call on Friday. It came hours before US President J D Vance and Speaker of the Iranian parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf arrived in the Pakistani capital for the talks.
April 11, 2026 5:35 pm
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that he had discussed the Iran ceasefire talks and the situation in Ukraine with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. "We initially discussed the situation in the Middle East, and called for all parties to respect the ceasefire and to make sure this applies to Lebanon, and for all parties to respect the freedom of navigation in the Straits of Hormuz, and we highlighted the importance of getting a strong and lasting diplomatic solution," wrote Macron on X.
April 11, 2026 5:31 pm
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that large numbers of completely empty oil tankers were heading to the United States to load up with oil and gas. "Massive numbers of completely empty oil tankers, some of the largest anywhere in the World, are heading, right now, to the United States to load up with the best and "sweetest" oil and gas anywhere in the World. We have more oil than the next two largest oil economies combined - and higher quality," Trump said in a Truth Social post. His post came as senior U.S. and Iranian officials were meeting on Saturday in Islamabad with Pakistani intermediaries as Tehran laid down its red lines that it said Washington must accept before face-to-face talks could take place to end their six-week-old war.
April 11, 2026 1:57 pm
Iran is facing a growing challenge in reopening the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, as it struggles to locate and remove naval mines it deployed during last month’s conflict, according to a report by The New York Times citing US officials. Read more: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world/iran-unable-to-find-mines-it-planted-in-strait-of-hormuz-report/
April 11, 2026 12:56 pm
Arrival of the US Delegation for Islamabad Talks pic.twitter.com/Hai19EZm4I
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) April 11, 2026
April 11, 2026 12:48 pm
Pakistan's government has set up a state-of-the-art media centre to facilitate Pakistani and foreign journalists covering the talks between the United States and Iran, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said. Tarar told reporters the facility at the Jinnah Convention Centre offers high-speed internet and a range of free services to support media coverage. Shuttle services have been arranged to transport journalists between the media centre and a hotel in the city's main shopping mall.
April 11, 2026 12:47 pm
The Lebanese National News Agency reported multiple Israeli strikes early Saturday in southern Lebanon, killing at least three people.
April 11, 2026 12:31 pm
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday that he hoped the United States and Iran would engage constructively in peace talks as the US delegation landed in the Pakistani capital. Dar also reiterated Islamabad's desire to continue facilitating the parties to reach a "lasting and durable solution to the conflict", according to a statement from Pakistan's foreign ministry.
April 11, 2026 11:09 am
Iran’s negotiating team met with Pakistan’s Army Chief last night, according to a Tasnim correspondent in Islamabad.
— Consulate General of the I.R. Iran in Mumbai (@IRANinMumbai) April 11, 2026
A meeting between the Iranian delegation and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled for 1 PM today.#Iran #Pakistan #Ceasefire #Talks #Islamabad
April 11, 2026 11:09 am
Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is still recovering from severe facial and leg injuries suffered in the airstrike that killed his father at the beginning of the war, three people close to his inner circle told Reuters. Khamenei's face was disfigured in the attack on the supreme leader's compound in central Tehran and he suffered a significant injury to one or both legs, all three sources said. The 56-year-old is nonetheless recovering from his wounds and remains mentally sharp, according to the people, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. He is taking part in meetings with senior officials via audio conferencing and is engaged in decision-making on major issues including the war and negotiations with Washington, two of them said.
April 11, 2026 10:54 am
A US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance is headed to Pakistan for high-level talks with Iranian representatives for the first such meeting since the war began more than a month ago that will test whether they can shore up a fragile ceasefire and pave the way for peace. The ceasefire brokered by Pakistan still faces hurdles in the talks beginning Saturday, as Israel and Hezbollah militants have traded fire along the border of southern Lebanon and Iran has set conditions before negotiations can begin. The Iranian delegation arrived early Saturday in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who said on X that discussions will only take place if there is an Israeli ceasefire in Lebanon the release of blocked Iranian assets. Hours earlier, US President Donald Trump wished Vance good luck. “We’ll find out what’s going on. They’re militarily defeated,” Trump said. The normally bustling streets of Islamabad were deserted on Saturday morning as security forces sealed roads ahead of the talks. Pakistani authorities urged residents to stay inside, leading the city to look like it was under curfew.
April 11, 2026 10:48 am
The Iranian delegation led by parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is welcomed by Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Asim Munir and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohammad Ishaq Dar as Pakistan prepares to host the US and Iran for peace talks in Islamabad in Pakistan on Saturday. Image credit/Reuters
April 11, 2026 10:31 am
Tehran's agenda at the talks also includes demands for major new concessions, including the end of sanctions that crippled its economy for years, and acknowledgment of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz, where it aims to collect transit fees and control access in what would amount to a huge shift in regional power. Iran's ships were sailing through the strait unimpeded on Friday, while those of other countries remained hemmed inside. Disruption to energy supplies has fed inflation and slowed the global economy, with an impact expected to last for months even if negotiators succeed in reopening the strait.
April 11, 2026 10:31 am
The US and Iran were to hold negotiations in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Saturday seeking to end their six-week-old war, although Tehran threw the talks into doubt by saying they could not begin without commitments on Lebanon and sanctions.
April 11, 2026 9:45 am
US intelligence indicates China is preparing to deliver new air defence systems to Iran within the next few weeks, CNN reported late on Friday, citing three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments. The network said there are indications that Beijing is working to route the shipments through third countries to mask their origin. Beijing is preparing to transfer shoulder-fired anti-air missile systems known as MANPADs, CNN said, citing sources it did not name.
April 11, 2026 8:22 am
The Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, and his Lebanese counterpart, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, will hold talks in Washington on Tuesday, Israeli and Lebanese officials said, amid the conflicting accounts on what those talks would cover. Lebanon's presidency said the two had held a phone call on Friday and agreed to discuss announcing a ceasefire and setting a start date for bilateral talks under US mediation. But Israel's embassy in Washington said the talks would constitute the start of "formal peace negotiations" and that Israel had refused to discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah. Israeli attacks continued across southern Lebanon on Friday.
April 11, 2026 8:20 am
Qalibaf said on X that Washington had previously agreed to unblock Iranian assets and to a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israeli attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants have killed nearly 2,000 people since the start of the fighting in March. He said talks would not start until those pledges were fulfilled. Israel and the U.S. have said the Lebanon campaign is not part of the Iran-U.S. ceasefire while Tehran insists it is. Qalibaf said separately that Iran was ready to reach a deal if Washington offered what he described as a genuine agreement and granted Iran its rights, Iranian state media reported.
