The US and Iran are in talks in Islamabad to find a solution to the conflict in West Asia. US Vice-President J.D.Vance leads the American delegation. Iran Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi represent Tehran.
Earlier, the two sides held separate meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as they descended on Islamabad Saturday for negotiations seeking to end their six-week-old war, which has plunged West Asia into chaos and upended the global economy.
Trump earlier in the week announced a two-week ceasefire in the war, which halted US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran. But it has not ended Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s energy supplies transit, or calmed Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon, where Tel Aviv says it is targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Although Trump has declared victory and degraded Iran’s military capabilities, the war has not achieved many of the aims he set out at the start: to deprive Iran of the ability to strike its neighbours, dismantle its nuclear programme, and make it easier for its people to overthrow their government. Iran still possesses missiles and drones capable of hitting its neighbours and a stockpile of more than 400 kg of uranium enriched near the level needed to make a bomb. Its clerical rulers, who faced a popular uprising just months ago, withstood the onslaught with no sign of organised opposition.
Stay tuned for live updates with ThePrint.
US-Iran talks in Pakistan. Live updates
10.36 pm: Delegations exchange texts
Delegations exchange written texts to confirm alignment on agreements reached so far, Al Jazeera reports.
9.29 pm: Second round of talks begins
Next round of talks has started after the first round of talks concluded Saturday. The second round of talks, likely to be result-oriented, will take place at the expert level with technical teams involved, China Xinhua News reports quoting sources.
9.22 pm: ‘Will engage in negotiations with courage’
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian makes his country’s stand clear, says the delegation “will engage in negotiations with courage”. “In any case, our service to the people will not pause for a moment, and whatever the outcome of the negotiations may be, the government stands firmly by the people’s side,” he asserts.
هیأت ایرانی عالی رتبهای که در پاکستان حاضر شده با تمام وجود حافظ منافع ایران است و در همین راستا شجاعانه مذاکره خواهد کرد. در هر صورت خدمت ما به مردم لحظهای متوقف نمیشود و هر نتیجهای از مذاکرات حاصل شود دولت پای کار مردم است.
— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) April 11, 2026
8.57 pm: Did US navy ships cross Hormuz?
Several U.S. naval vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz without coordinating with Iran, according to Barak Ravid of Axios. But, Iranian media claims that the vessels turned back.
According to Barak Ravid of Axios, several U.S. naval vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz without coordinating with Iran. According to reports, the USS Micheal Murphy (DDG-112) was one of the vessels to transit. Iranian media claims that the vessels turned back despite Axios’… pic.twitter.com/TL5BHcjirW
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 11, 2026
8.19 pm: ‘Attacks down, but not stopped’
Iranian attacks have decreased but have not stopped, a top Bahrain official tells Al Jazeera. “We do not accept any distinction between Gulf states; targeting any one of them is tantamount to targeting all of them.”
HE @majedalansari Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, In an interview with Aljazeera:
Iranian attacks have decreased but have not stopped, and we do not accept any distinction between Gulf states; targeting any one of them is… pic.twitter.com/iKSIy3MWdJ
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) April 11, 2026
8.10 pm: Experts join Iran-US talks
Talks in Islamabad have entered the expert-level stage as economic, military, legal, and nuclear committees joined, says Iran. Negotiations on to finalise technical details.
7.53 pm: ‘Iran is not just negotiating’
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran is making demands rather than engaging in ordinary negotiations, citing Washington’s record of dishonesty & deception, reports Tasnim News Agency.
Gharibabadi: Iran Is Demanding, Not Just Negotiating with US
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy FM, said Tehran is making demands in the current talks with the United States rather than engaging in ordinary negotiations, citing Washington’s record of dishonesty & deception. pic.twitter.com/YOy9zBJuFK
— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) April 11, 2026
7.46 pm: Lebanon PM postpones US trip
Lebanon Prime Minister Nawaf Salam postpones trip to the United Nations and the United States. He attributes it to the current internal circumstance and his commitment to the Lebanese people.
في ظل الأوضاع الداخلية الحاضرة، وحرصاً على القيام بواجبي كاملاً في الحفاظ على امن اللبنانيين ووحدتهم، قررت تأجيل سفري إلى الأمم المتحدة والولايات المتحدة، لمتابعة عمل الحكومة من بيروت.
— Nawaf Salam نواف سلام (@nawafsalam) April 11, 2026
7.39 pm: ‘US vessel didn’t cross Hormuz’
Iranian state TV denies reports that US vessels had crossed the Strait of Hormuz. A US vessel turned back after receiving a warning, according to a senior Iranian military official.
Iranian state TV denied reports that US vessels had crossed the Strait of Hormuz, citing a senior Iranian military official.
A US vessel turned back after receiving a warning, according to the official. https://t.co/bJvRbjGlQz
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) April 11, 2026
7.29 pm: ‘Direct talks going on’
American and Iranian teams are engaging in direct negotiations at Islamabad’s Serena Hotel, with the Pakistani mediators also present, reports Al Jazeera.
6.51 pm: Talks underway in Islamabad
An Iranian state TV reporter in Islamabad confirmed that the all-important talks have begun, says Reuters.
5.56 pm: ‘A window of opportunity is emerging’
Russia calls on all participants in the talks in Pakistan to act responsibly and refrain from any steps that could jeopardise this opportunity. “At this stage, the core objective is to address the root causes of the destructive conflict in the region, namely by bringing a complete end to the war initiated by the United States and Israel,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry says in a statement.
⚡️ Russia's Foreign Ministry Statement on the developments in the Middle East:
We call on all participants in the forthcoming talks in Pakistan to act responsibly and refrain from any steps that could jeopardise this opportunity.https://t.co/lGyWmWPLSz pic.twitter.com/uOwfbUPsAc
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) April 11, 2026
5.37 pm: France, Turkey call for ceasefire in Lebanon
French President Emmanuel Macron says he held a meeting with his Turkey counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and agreed about adherence to the ceasefire and its implementation in Lebanon as well as the preservation of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The two leaders also call for a strong, lasting diplomatic solution.
Cumhurbaşkanı @RTErdogan ile az önce bir görüşme gerçekleştirdim.
Öncelikle Yakın Doğu ve Orta Doğu’daki durumu ele aldık; ateşkese riayet edilmesi ve bunun Lübnan’da uygulanması, Hürmüz Boğazı’nda seyrüsefer serbestisinin korunması çağrısında bulunduk ve güçlü,…
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 11, 2026
5.10 pm: Iran envoy’s message before meeting
Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam sets the tone for the all-important meeting, says it remains to be seen whether the US honours the mediation efforts of the host.
Today, Islamabad is host to Pakistan's good offices to help end an illegal war against the Iranian nation; a war that is not only a blatant crime against the Iranian nation and civilization, but also has endangered the security of the region and the world. It remains to be seen…
— Reza Amiri Moghadam (@IranAmbPak) April 11, 2026
4.30 pm: US official ‘denies’ agreeing to unfreeze Iranian assets
Reuters is reporting that a US official Saturday denied reports that Washington had agreed to unfreeze Iranian assets. The agency earlier said, quoting Iranian sources, that the U.S. had agreed to release Iranian frozen assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks.
4.00 pm: Vance holds meeting with Pak PM
US Vice-President J.D. Vance met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, hours after the Iranian delegation held a similar meeting.
Sharif expressed hope that these talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region, according to a statement from the Pakistani prime ministers office. Witkoff and Kushner accompanied the American Vice-President in the meeting.
Islamabad April 11 ,2026
As the Islamabad Talks commenced today, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with His Excellency JD Vance, Vice President of the United States of America.
The U.S. Vice President was assisted by Special Envoy Steve… pic.twitter.com/XcH5x1VlHl
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) April 11, 2026
3.10 pm: Iranian delegation meets Pak PM
Al Jazeera reports that the Iranian delegation, led by parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, has held talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad. It is possible that Pakistan shuffles between the two sides, carrying messages, before formal talks can begin.
BBC is quoting Iranian sources as saying that the US is open to unfreezing the country’s assets. But there’s no confirmation from the US on such an agreement.
Also Read: US-Iran talks & how Pakistan leverages its geography to come into relevance | Cut The Clutter
3.05 pm: Key talking points
- A ceasefire in Lebanon, which Tehran wants, but US and Israel insist is a parallel war.
- Tehran wants the unblocking of its assets and ending sanctions that have crippled its economy for years. Washington has indicated that it is open to significant sanctions relief but only in exchange for concessions from Iran on its nuclear and missile programmes.
- Iran wants 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. The US wants it opened for oil tankers and other traffic without any limitations, including tolls.
- Iran is expected to demand compensation for all damage during the six-week war. The US has not commented on this.
- Iran wants to be allowed to enrich uranium, which Washington has ruled out and President Donald Trump has insisted is non-negotiable.
- Israel and the US both want Iran’s missile capabilities to be dramatically curtailed. Tehran has said its formidable missile arsenal is non-negotiable.
- Iran wants withdrawal of US combat forces from the region, cessation of war on all fronts and a commitment to non-aggression. Trump has vowed to retain military assets in West Asia until a peace deal is reached and warned of a major escalation in fighting if it failed to comply.
Source: Reuters
2.45 pm: Iranian delegation carries pictures of Minab schoolchildren
The Iranian delegation brought with it blood-soaked school bags, shoes and pictures of the school children killed in US-Israel strikes on the first day of the war.
The delegation was symbolically named ‘Minab 168’ in remembrance of the children. “My companions on this flight,” Ghalibaf wrote on X, along with a photo.
The Iran Embassy in South Africa reshared the picture and wrote: “We will never forget the children of Minab, ever.”
همراهان من در این پرواز#Minab168 pic.twitter.com/xvXmDlSDiF
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 10, 2026
Before the flight, Ghalibaf reiterated Tehran’s deep distrust of the US, telling reporters that past negotiations have consistently ended in “failure and breach of promise”.
“Our experience of negotiations with the Americans has always been met with failure and breach of promise. They attacked us twice in the middle of the negotiations. We have goodwill but no trust,” he said.
2.00 pm: J.D Vance arrives in Islamabad
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, walks with Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad Natalie A. Baker, and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi, after arriving for talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad Saturday.
12.00 pm: What the two sides say
Ahead of Saturday’s meeting, Tehran threw the talks into doubt by saying they could not begin without commitments on Lebanon and sanctions.
Iran’s parliamentary Speaker Ghalibaf said on X that the US had agreed to unblock Iranian assets and to a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israeli attacks have killed thousands and displaced millions since the war began there in March. He said talks would not start until those pledges were fulfilled.
Israel and the US have said the Lebanon campaign is not part of the Iran-US ceasefire while Tehran insists it is.
On the deal, Ghalibaf 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.
The hard line taken by Iran’s leaders ahead of the negotiations followed a defiant message from its new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei Thursday. Khamenei, yet to be seen in public since taking over from his father, who was killed on the war”s first day, said Iran would demand compensation for all wartime damage. “We will certainly not leave unpunished the criminal aggressors who attacked our country,” he said.
The White House did not immediately comment on the Iranian demands, but Trump posted on social media that the only reason the Iranians were alive was to negotiate a deal. “The Iranians don’t seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short term extortion of the World by using International Waterways. The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!” he said.
Trump’s deputy J.D. Vance, speaking as he headed to Pakistan Friday, said he expected a positive outcome but added: “If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive.”
Arrival of the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran for Islamabad Talks pic.twitter.com/aJYU9cx5t2
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) April 10, 2026
11.30 am: What we know about the talks
Preliminary discussions have been held by Pakistani officials with advance teams from both sides, sources in Islamabad told news agency Reuters.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency said these included 70 members from Tehran, including technical specialists in economic, security and political fields as well as media personnel and support staff. About 100 members of an advance U.S. team were in Islamabad, a Pakistani government source said. “We’re very positive,” said another Pakistani source close to the discussions.
Asked if talks would end on Saturday, the source said: “Too early to say. They have instructions to close a deal or walk away. Hence, not in a rush. These talks are not on the clock.”
Also Read: Pakistan is drawing several lessons from its moment under the sun