Washington/Islamabad,(Parliament Times):US Vice President JD Vance on Friday expressed optimism ahead of upcoming negotiations with Iran, saying Washington hopes the talks in Islamabad will produce positive results.
Speaking before departing for Pakistan to attend the “Islamabad Talks,” Vance said the United States was prepared to engage constructively if Iran approached the discussions sincerely. However, he warned that the US negotiating team would respond firmly if Tehran failed to negotiate in good faith.
“We’re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive,” Vance said. “If the Iranians are willing to negotiate sincerely and extend an open hand, that’s one thing. But if they attempt to play games, they will find that the negotiating team is not very receptive. The president has provided us with clear guidelines, and we’ll see how the talks proceed.”
Pakistan is preparing to host what could become one of the most significant diplomatic engagements in recent years, as senior leaders from the United States and Iran arrive in Islamabad for high-level negotiations following a devastating six-week conflict that claimed thousands of lives and severely impacted the global economy.
The US delegation will be led by Vice President Vance and will include President Donald Trump’s key Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Iran’s delegation is expected to be headed by Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accompanied by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials.
Ahead of the talks, Islamabad has been placed under an unprecedented security lockdown. Major roads have been sealed, security forces heavily deployed, and surveillance intensified across the capital to ensure the safety of visiting dignitaries. Officials said the negotiations will be held at a secure and undisclosed location away from the media spotlight.
Pakistan has recently emerged as a key diplomatic mediator in the region. Tensions escalated last month when the United States and Israel carried out airstrikes on Iranian targets, prompting Tehran to retaliate with attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf region. The escalation pushed the Middle East toward a wider conflict and triggered urgent international diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions.
In an effort to stabilise the situation, Pakistan hosted a quadrilateral meeting of foreign ministers in Islamabad involving representatives from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The initiative drew global attention and was widely praised as a constructive step toward de-escalation.
Pakistan and China also jointly proposed a five-point initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the broader Middle East.
Fragile ceasefire
Currently, a fragile and conditional ceasefire remains in place between the United States and Iran after weeks of intense fighting. The agreement includes a two-week pause in hostilities, primarily aimed at halting major military operations and reopening strategic maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the truce, significant differences remain between Washington and Tehran, with both sides presenting the ceasefire as a diplomatic victory while maintaining their respective demands for a long-term settlement.
At the core of the discussions is a 10-point proposal put forward by Iran, which US officials have described as a “workable basis” for negotiations. The framework reportedly includes provisions related to non-aggression commitments, management and security of the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief, and the cessation of hostilities across multiple regional fronts.
The Islamabad talks are expected to use this framework as the starting point for negotiations, with Pakistan hosting the dialogue aimed at transforming the temporary ceasefire into a lasting peace agreement.