US, Iran hold first face-to-face meeting in decades, marking an important moment for two countries’ Marathon meeting
ISLAMABAD:
Mediated by Pakistan, senior officials from Iran and the United States held a 14-hour talk on Saturday, including the first face-to-face meeting at the highest level since 1979, in Islamabad, where they sought to iron out key differences ranging from the Strait of Hormuz to a range of broader strategic issues, but the marathon talks have yet to reach their logical conclusion.
As a result, talks would continue today (Sunday), confirmed by the Iranian government’s official X-handle early Sunday.
A brief statement issued by the Iranian government hinted at progress during the high-voltage talks brokered by Pakistan.
“Iran-US talks brokered by Pakistan ended after 14 hours. Technical teams from both sides are now exchanging expert texts. Talks will continue despite some remaining differences,” the statement said.
The US delegation included Vice President JD Vance, President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner. While the Iranian side was led by the Speaker of the Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was also part of the delegation.
However, there was no statement from the host country, Pakistan, on the state of negotiations prior to the filing of this report.
Some observers believe that fact-finding negotiations extended to the third round were in themselves seen as progress. Also, the first direct meeting at the highest level between Iran and the United States is also considered a significant step forward.
A White House confirmed that trilateral discussions involving Pakistani interlocutors were being held, describing the process as “historic” given Islamabad’s role as a mediator.
Talks held entirely behind closed doors under tight security marked the highest level of face-to-face engagement between Tehran and Washington since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iranian state media reported that during negotiations, both sides exchanged drafts and some proposals. Iranian media close to the IRGC said the stalemate continued at the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States wanted joint control of the central waterway through which 20 percent of the global oil supply passes.
Since the war, Iran has effectively controlled the strait, and Tehran insisted it would not compromise on it.
The second phase of the talks involved direct executive-level engagement, followed by a third phase where technical experts from both sides took over to discuss the finer details of competing proposals.
Despite the cautious optimism, Iranian state media acknowledged that differences persist, particularly on sensitive issues such as maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.
Sources also confirmed that talks continued late into the night between Saturday and Sunday, underscoring the intensity and pressure surrounding the diplomatic effort.
Officials maintained that Islamabad would continue to play its role as a facilitator and expressed hope that the ongoing engagement would mark a step towards de-escalation and eventual resolution of a long-running conflict that has had far-reaching regional and global ramifications.
In Washington, US President Donald Trump told reporters that it makes no difference to him whether an agreement is reached with Iran. “No matter what happens, we’re going to win,” Trump said as he left the White House for Florida, adding later: “Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me.”
Vice President JD Vance is in Pakistan negotiating with Iranian officials, which the president acknowledged has been going on “for many hours.”
“We’ve totally defeated that country, and so let’s see what happens,” Trump said. “Maybe they make a deal, maybe they don’t, it doesn’t matter. From America’s point of view, we win.”
Ahead of the talks, separate meetings were held between the visiting delegations and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who expressed hope that both sides would move forward in a “constructive manner”.
The capital has effectively been placed under a security cordon with limited access to key areas and an unusually high presence of law enforcement personnel.
The flow of information remained tightly controlled and journalists, despite arriving in large numbers from around the world, received minimal official briefings.
A media facilitation center has been set up at the Jinnah Convention Centre, where international and local journalists are stationed pending updates on the developing situation.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump took to social media to claim Iran “lost badly” and claimed the Strait of Hormuz would “soon be opened”, a remark analysts see as part of Washington’s negotiating position.
On the other hand, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a statement on X that the country’s high-level delegation in Pakistan “protected Iran’s national interests” and would continue to engage with determination.
