Iran’s delegation to talks with the United States is expected to raise Saturday what it sees as Washington’s failure to honor earlier understandings in a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as Tehran continues to insist that some preconditions for negotiations remain unmet.
Iranian state-linked media, including Tasnim, have said the unresolved issues include the release of frozen assets and a halt to fighting in Lebanon before moving ahead with broader talks.
The Iranian delegation arrives for ceasefire talks in Islamabad
(Video: Reuters)
Iranian media reported that Tehran’s delegation planned to use Saturday’s meetings to assess the U.S. position and whether Washington had implemented its commitments before deciding how to proceed with direct negotiations.
The U.S. delegation for the talks has also arrived in Islamabad, Reuters reported, citing two Pakistani officials.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said it hoped both sides would conduct the peace talks constructively and reiterated Islamabad’s desire to keep helping resolve the conflict. Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator in the talks, which opened in Islamabad under heavy security.
A senior Pakistani official told the Qatari newspaper The New Arab that there was an effort to persuade Iran to drop its preconditions and begin negotiations in a new spirit. The report said the Iranian side was still insisting that the United States publicly commit to all points of the temporary ceasefire before talks fully begin, though the official said there had been some positive signals from Tehran.
1 View gallery
The US delegation arrives for ceasefire talks in Pakistan
(Photo: Jacquelyn MARTIN / POOL / AFP)
A source in Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry also told The New Arab that a Chinese delegation was expected in Islamabad on Saturday to help Pakistan during the U.S.-Iran negotiations and that Beijing could offer guarantees if the two sides reached an agreement.
China remains closely tied to the diplomacy around the Iran crisis and U.S. intelligence believes Beijing may be preparing additional support for Tehran.