Pakistan set to receive US vice president-led delegation for Iran talks

Pakistan is set to receive a US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance for historic direct talks with the Iranian delegation starting Saturday to end a war that has engulfed the wider Middle East region.

Vance left Washington on Friday aboard Air Force Two and is leading a US delegation, which includes President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The Iranian delegation is led by Parliament Speaker Bagher Qalibaf and includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Deputy to the Supreme National Security Council Ali Bagheri Kani, and others already in Islamabad on Saturday.

Pakistan's top diplomat, Ishaq Dar, along with army chief Gen. Asim Munir, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi received the Iranian delegation.

The meeting is the most significant high-level, face-to-face engagement since 1979.

"Here's the Iranian delegates to the talks. Never during the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the Nuclear Deal) did I see such a large & senior Iranian delegation. And Qalibaf may meet directly w/ Vance(!)," renowned foreign policy expert on Iran Trita Parsi wrote on US social media company X.

"Before, the Iranians refused such meetings. They agree now because they see themselves in a far stronger position," he added.

Pakistan, together with Türkiye, China, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, managed to secure a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran on Wednesday, 40 days after the US and Israel initiated attacks against Iran on Feb. 28.

As part of the ceasefire deal, the two sides agreed to meet in Islamabad for talks to negotiate a lasting peace.