Pakistani Premier Sharif holds separate talks with US’ Vance, Iranian delegation ahead of Islamabad Talks

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday held separate talks with the US and Iranian delegations who are in the nation's capital Islamabad to end the war that began on Feb. 28, expressing hope the negotiations would serve as a "stepping stone" for durable peace in the region.

Sharif met with US Vice President JD Vance and his delegation after holding separate talks with the Iranian side led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.

In his meeting with Vance, Sharif commended the commitment of both delegations to “engage constructively,” and expressed the hope that these talks “would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region,” his office said.

Vance and Qalibaf are in the Pakistani capital for talks to end the conflict after Islamabad secured a two-week ceasefire between the warring parties on Wednesday.

Sharif reiterated that Pakistan “looks forward to continue its facilitation of both sides in making progress towards sustainable peace in the region.”

Vance is accompanied by US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi joined Sharif for the meeting with the US side.

Ahead of his meeting with the US team, Sharif met the Iranian side led by Qalibaf, according to the Iranian public broadcaster IRIB.

There was no official statement from Islamabad about Sharif’s meeting with the Iranian side.

Qalibaf’s team includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and deputy to the National Security Council, Ali Bagheri Kani, among others.

The Iranian team flew to Islamabad ahead of US Air Force Two which carried Vance on Saturday.

The negotiations between the US and Iran, dubbed "Islamabad Talks," were expected to begin at around 3 pm local time (1000GMT)

Pakistan is hosting the landmark negotiations, expected in both direct and indirect formats, to end the extensive Middle East conflict that started with the US-Israeli war on Iran to remove perceived threats and end its nuclear program.

Nearly 3,000 Iranians were killed in the war, according to the country’s health authorities. At least 13 US servicemen were also killed and dozens wounded.