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Historic Islamabad Talks
The United States and Iran engaged in high-stakes peace talks hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad on April 11.
The American delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance and included Jared Kushner.
The Iranian delegation was headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The talks followed a two-week ceasefire announced by Trump on April 8.
The venue was secured with a heavy police and paramilitary presence, and the usually busy capital appeared largely deserted.
Divergent Peace Plans
The core challenge was the stark divergence between Iran's 10-point plan and the US's 15-point framework.
Iran's plan included demands such as lifting all sanctions and continuing uranium enrichment.
The US plan demanded halting uranium enrichment and ending support for regional proxy groups.
Confusion deepened due to discrepancies between Persian and English versions of the proposals.
Vice President Vance dismissed the circulated version of Iran’s proposal as little more than a random yahoo in Iran.
Unresolved Regional Flashpoints
Despite the ceasefire, key flashpoints remained unresolved.
Iran had not fully lifted restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon continued.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu made it clear that military operations would continue despite the ceasefire.
The war had killed thousands across the region and disrupted global energy supplies.
Pakistan's Mediation Role
Pakistan played a central role as the neutral venue and mediator for the talks.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted both delegations.
The Iranian delegation was greeted by Pakistan's powerful army chief Asim Munir.
Pakistan set up a state-of-the-art media center for journalists.
The Supreme National Security Council of Iran indicated the window for discussions was limited to 15 days.
