ISLAMABAD – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to lead a delegation to Islamabad in the coming hours as diplomatic efforts intensify ahead of a potential second round of US-Iran peace talks .
The development follows a request by Pakistan’s military leadership to Tehran to send representatives for renewed negotiations aimed at extending the fragile two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan on April 8. The ceasefire, which paused a conflict that began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, is set to expire, adding urgency to the diplomatic push .
A high-level Pakistani delegation led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Tehran last week as part of Islamabad’s continued efforts to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran. The delegation carried key messages linked to the next phase of engagement between the two sides .
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf led Tehran’s delegation during the first round of talks in Islamabad on April 11-12, accompanied by Araghchi and senior security official Ali Bagheri Kani . Those marathon negotiations stretched more than 21 hours but ended without a final agreement, though both sides acknowledged the talks laid the foundation for a diplomatic process .
According to Iranian state media, the talks have continued through intermediaries, with multiple messages and draft texts exchanged between the two sides . Pakistan has positioned itself as a key mediator, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conducting regional outreach to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye to build support for the diplomatic process .
US Vice President JD Vance is also expected to return to Islamabad for the second round, reflecting the highest-level direct engagement between the two nations since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution .
