Islamabad

An Iranian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi departed Pakistan’s capital on Saturday evening after holding a series of high-level discussions with the country’s leadership, dealing a setback to Islamabad’s aspirations of facilitating a breakthrough in US-Iran negotiations.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, the Iranian side concluded its visit by presenting Pakistani authorities with a formal set of demands addressed to both the United States and Israel, outlining conditions for resolving tensions in West Asia.

The delegation’s exit appears to have dimmed prospects for Islamabad to host a second round of direct talks between Tehran and Washington. Araghchi is now expected to continue his diplomatic engagements in Oman and Russia, without further consultations in Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s senior civilian and military leadership gathered at the Prime Minister’s residence for a meeting with the visiting delegation that lasted around two hours. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was joined by Army Chief Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Despite the presence of Pakistan’s top leadership, the interaction reportedly yielded little substantive progress. Media reports, citing Kamran Khan of ARY News, indicated that Tehran did not engage in any mediated negotiations. Instead, it conveyed a list of preconditions, including the removal of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports along the Strait of Hormuz.

Khan had earlier suggested that the planned talks were already losing momentum, as Iran was unwilling to meet the visiting US delegation. The American side was expected to include Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

Although Pakistani authorities made extensive security arrangements, including road closures and restrictions in Islamabad’s high-security zones, these measures did not translate into diplomatic progress. The anticipated meeting between Iranian officials and the US delegation ultimately did not take place.

Following the discussions, Sharif described his exchange with the Iranian delegation as constructive and emphasised the importance of strengthening bilateral ties. Similarly, Ishaq Dar reiterated the need for continued dialogue and diplomacy.

However, despite hosting both delegations earlier, Pakistan was unable to bring them together for a second round of talks. Iran’s decision to move its diplomatic efforts to Oman and Russia suggests it views those countries as more suitable venues for advancing negotiations.

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The developments echo earlier unsuccessful attempts at mediation in Islamabad. A previous round of discussions involving US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had extended for nearly 21 hours without producing any significant outcome.