ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday met US Vice President JD Vance, along with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad.
According to the prime minister office, he was assisted by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
“Commending the commitment of both delegations to engage constructively, the prime minister expressed the hope that these talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region,” read the statement.
The PM reiterated that Pakistan would continue to facilitate efforts by both sides to make progress towards a sustainable resolution of the conflict.
“A temporary ceasefire has been announced, but now an even more difficult stage lies ahead: the stage of achieving a lasting ceasefire, of resolving complicated issues through negotiations,” PM Shehbaz Sharif stated.
“This is that stage which, in English, is called the equivalent of ‘make or break.’”
Mr Sharif added leaders from both countries were attending at Pakistan’s invitation and pledged that his government would “make every possible effort to make these talks successful”.
“In response to my sincere invitation, the leaders of both countries are coming to Islamabad. There, negotiations will be held for the establishment of peace,” he said in an address to the nation.
The PM was assisted by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi.
The talks, which is being hosted by Islamabad, would be the first direct high-level engagement between Washington and Tehran since 1979.
Tehran and the United States are holding talks in Islamabad under heavy security, as part of efforts to build on a fragile two-week ceasefire.
Earlier, Iranian’s officials arrived in Pakistan early Saturday to participate in important talks with the United States, aimed at securing a lasting solution of their ongoing war.
The 14-member delegation led by Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, former IRGC commander Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr and others.
Also, the US voice president JD Vance and his delegation arrived Islamabad under tight security arrangements ahead of the talks. The delegation includes Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Also read:US Vice President JD Vance arrives in Pakistan for peace talks with Iran
