Pakistan's interior minister rushes to Tehran to salvage US-Iran talks amid Lebanon ceasefire crisis

Pakistan's interior minister rushes to Tehran to salvage US-Iran talks amid Lebanon ceasefire crisis
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Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, arrived in Tehran on Saturday to salvage stalled US-Iran negotiations after technical-level talks scheduled for Friday in Switzerland were postponed amid renewed fighting in Lebanon. The surprise visit follows the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum, which Pakistan hailed as a historic diplomatic breakthrough, and comes as Washington and Tehran prepare for a new round of discussions in Burgenstock on Sunday.

According to Pakistani government sources, Naqvi met Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, to bridge gaps that emerged after Hezbollah launched around 50 projectiles toward Israeli positions in southern Lebanon early Saturday, prompting Israeli airstrikes that killed at least 16 people. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, warned that the resumption of hostilities threatened the entire understanding, stating that “if part of the other side’s commitments is not implemented, the entire understanding will be jeopardized” .

The US delegation, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, is expected to arrive in Switzerland within days, accompanied by senior envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, alongside Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Pakistani mediators. Vance told Fox News on Saturday that talks “are going well” and could commence on Sunday, though he acknowledged the fragile security backdrop .

Iran’s negotiating team, designated “Minab 168,” includes Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Araghchi, and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati. Delegation spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stressed that the trip aimed to “follow up on the implementation of the commitments of the other party,” citing past breaches of trust .

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Pakistan’s mediation role, calling the Islamabad Memorandum a “historic diplomatic achievement” and crediting the military for preventing the ceasefire from collapsing. Falling global oil prices, he added, would bring economic relief to Pakistan .

Meanwhile, Iran’s political factions remain deeply divided over the US deal, with hardliners warning that any perceived concessions could undermine national security. Analysts describe the ceasefire in Lebanon as a “make or break” issue for the negotiations, with Araghchi reportedly telling counterparts on Friday that progress hinges on halting Israeli violations .

As diplomats gather in Switzerland, the immediate challenge is restoring calm in Lebanon to prevent further disruptions. With both sides insisting on strict adherence to prior commitments, the coming days will test whether the Islamabad Memorandum can translate into lasting de-escalation.

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Live From Europe

Pakistan: Samtaler mellom USA og Iran finner sted søndag Samtalene mellom USA og Iran for å forhandle frem en slutt på krigen vil starte i Sveits på søndag, ifølge meklerlandet…

aftenposten · about 2 hours ago

Trump envoys arrive in Switzerland for Iran talks planned for Sunday White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are in Switzerland, where the first round of talks with Iran on a potential nuclear deal is expected to take place on Sunday, U.S. officials told Axios.Irans foreign minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Switzerland on Saturday to join the talks. Why it matters: The talks were supposed to start on Friday but were postponed because of the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Its not yet clear if a new time has been set for the talks.The Iranian delegation left Tehran shortly after the Iranian armed forces announced they are closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to alleged violations of the ceasefire by the U.S. and Israel. The Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday that U.S. and Iranian representatives —together with Qatari and Pakistani mediators — will meet at Burgenstock, Switzerland for a round of negotiations. Driving the news: U.S. officials hoped a renewed ceasefire in Lebanon, announced on Friday, would allow the talks to move forward. But on Saturday morning, the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah resumed. Hezbollah launched around 50 projectiles toward Israel soldiers that it claimed were advancing near a town in southern Lebanon,Israel called that a ceasefire violation and conducted dozens of strikes in southern Lebanon in response, killing at least 16 people.Hezbollah claimed it is  committed to the ceasefire, but would confront any attempt by Israel to seize land in Lebanon."The IDF remains committed to the ceasefire agreement in accordance with the directives of the political echelon and will continue to operate to remove any threat posed to the State of  and IDF soldiers," the Israeli military said in a statement.The other side: Irans Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said shortly after the announcement on the closing of the strait that the Iranian delegation will travel to Switzerland on Saturday "to follow up on and demand the implementation of the other sides commitments" in the memorandum of understanding.He said Iran has remained committed to its obligations, and the U.S. is required to compel Israel to stop its attacks on Lebanon. "If part of the other sides commitments is not implemented, the entire understanding will be jeopardized," he said.Behind the scenes: According to a source from one of the mediating countries, Araghchi told several of  his counterparts on Friday that the ceasefire in Lebanon is a critical issue for Iran and "make or break" for the U.S.-Iran negotiations.Pakistans interior minister visited Tehran on Saturday for talks with Araghchi and other Iranian officials to try and solve the crisis and allow the talks to move forward. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, who is one of the key mediators between the U.S. and Iran, arrived in Switzerland earlier on Friday.What to watch: Vice President Vance was expected to lead the U.S. delegation, but postponed his trip last minute on Thursday night. In a Fox News interview on Saturday, Vance said the talks with Iran "are going well" and the negotiations could start on Sunday in Switzerland. He said he expects to go to Switzerland "in the next couple of days."Editors note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.

Trump envoys arrive in Switzerland for Iran talks planned for Sunday White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are in Switzerland, where the first round of talks with Iran on a potential nuclear deal is expected to take place on Sunday, U.S. officials told Axios.Irans foreign minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Switzerland on Saturday to join the talks. Why it matters: The talks were supposed to start on Friday but were postponed because of the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Its not yet clear if a new time has been set for the talks.The Iranian delegation left Tehran shortly after the Iranian armed forces announced they are closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to alleged violations of the ceasefire by the U.S. and Israel. The Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday that U.S. and Iranian representatives —together with Qatari and Pakistani mediators — will meet at Burgenstock, Switzerland for a round of negotiations. Driving the news: U.S. officials hoped a renewed ceasefire in Lebanon, announced on Friday, would allow the talks to move forward. But on Saturday morning, the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah resumed. Hezbollah launched around 50 projectiles toward Israel soldiers that it claimed were advancing near a town in southern Lebanon,Israel called that a ceasefire violation and conducted dozens of strikes in southern Lebanon in response, killing at least 16 people.Hezbollah claimed it is committed to the ceasefire, but would confront any attempt by Israel to seize land in Lebanon."The IDF remains committed to the ceasefire agreement in accordance with the directives of the political echelon and will continue to operate to remove any threat posed to the State of and IDF soldiers," the Israeli military said in a statement.The other side: Irans Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said shortly after the announcement on the closing of the strait that the Iranian delegation will travel to Switzerland on Saturday "to follow up on and demand the implementation of the other sides commitments" in the memorandum of understanding.He said Iran has remained committed to its obligations, and the U.S. is required to compel Israel to stop its attacks on Lebanon. "If part of the other sides commitments is not implemented, the entire understanding will be jeopardized," he said.Behind the scenes: According to a source from one of the mediating countries, Araghchi told several of his counterparts on Friday that the ceasefire in Lebanon is a critical issue for Iran and "make or break" for the U.S.-Iran negotiations.Pakistans interior minister visited Tehran on Saturday for talks with Araghchi and other Iranian officials to try and solve the crisis and allow the talks to move forward. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, who is one of the key mediators between the U.S. and Iran, arrived in Switzerland earlier on Friday.What to watch: Vice President Vance was expected to lead the U.S. delegation, but postponed his trip last minute on Thursday night. In a Fox News interview on Saturday, Vance said the talks with Iran "are going well" and the negotiations could start on Sunday in Switzerland. He said he expects to go to Switzerland "in the next couple of days."Editors note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.

axios · about 2 hours ago

Live From Europe

USA: „Du solltest besser aufpassen – Die unmögliche Iran-Mission von J.D. Vance Der US-Vizepräsident leitet die Gespräche zwischen den USA und Iran. Es dürften schwierige Wochen werden für den Mann, der Ambitionen auf die Nachfolge von Donald Trump haben soll.

handelsblatt · about 2 hours ago

Live From Europe

Sharif hails Pakistans mediation in US-Iran agreement Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised Pakistans role in brokering the US-Iran agreement, calling the Islamabad Memorandum a historic diplomatic achievement. He credited military leadership for preventing the ceasefire from collapsing and announced that falling global oil prices would bring economic benefits to Pakistan.

yenisafak · about 2 hours ago

Live From Europe

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aktuality.sk · about 2 hours ago

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Where do Irans political factions stand on the US peace deal? Irans rival political camps are locking horns over a memorandum of understanding with the US.

aljazeera · about 2 hours ago

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🇮🇷🤝🇺🇸🇮🇱- Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to travel to Switzerland this evening, accompanied by Pakistans Interior Minister. ➡️The Iranian Foreign Ministry has announced that the delegation will proceed to Switzerland to oversee the implementation of commitments and assess the sincerity of the counterpart in adhering to them. ➡️Furthermore, Pakistan has indicated that technical discussions between the United States and Iran are scheduled to take place on Sunday.

telegram bot · about 3 hours ago

Live From Europe

Iran postponed US talks over Israeli ceasefire violations: Pakistani sources Iran postponed technical‑level talks with the US scheduled for Friday in Switzerland to protest continued Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon. Tehrans chief negotiator and foreign minister pulled out at the last minute following directives from top Iranian leadership.

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yenisafak · about 3 hours ago

Live From Europe

Pakistan interior minister heads to Tehran to revive US-Iran talks Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has departed for Tehran to discuss the resumption of direct US-Iran negotiations, following the postponement of scheduled talks in Switzerland. The visit aims to bridge gaps and explore ways to advance diplomatic efforts after the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum.

yenisafak · about 3 hours ago

Live From Europe

US-Iran technical talks to resume in Switzerland within days Technical-level negotiations between the United States and Iran are expected to resume in Switzerland in a day or two, according to Pakistani government sources. Pakistans interior minister has travelled to Tehran to discuss the next phase, following the postponement of talks over Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon.

yenisafak · about 3 hours ago

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⚡ NEWSIran political factions clash over US peace deal MoURival political camps in Iran are engaging in intense internal conflict regarding a memorandum of understanding with the United States. The dispute highlights deep divisions within the Iranian establishment over the terms and implications of a potential peace...📰  #USA #Diplomacy #Geopolitics #GeoWire

⚡ NEWSIran political factions clash over US peace deal MoURival political camps in Iran are engaging in intense internal conflict regarding a memorandum of understanding with the United States. The dispute highlights deep divisions within the Iranian establishment over the terms and implications of a potential peace...📰 #USA #Diplomacy #Geopolitics #GeoWire

mastodon bot · about 3 hours ago

Live From Europe

🇮🇷🤝🇺🇸🇨🇭- The following are the confirmed delegation teams for the United States and Iran. For the United States delegation, Vice President J.D. Vance will lead the American team at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland. He will be accompanied by Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, Qatari and Pakistani mediators, and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. For the Iranian negotiating delegation, designated as "Minab 168," the members include: - Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Parliament - Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister - Ali Bagheri, Deputy for International Affairs of the Supreme National Security Council - Abdolnaser Hemmati, Central Bank Governor - Hamid Bord, Deputy Minister of Oil and NIOC Head - Kazem Gharibabadi and Esmail Baqaei, Deputy Foreign Ministers According to the delegation spokesperson, Esmail Baqaei, the trip is intended to "follow up on the implementation of the commitments of the other party," emphasizing that "any agreement and understanding is tested when the time for its implementation has come." Baqaei further stated: Considering the experience we have from the other partys breach of promise, we must seriously demand their commitments.

telegram bot · about 3 hours ago

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commonspace · about 3 hours ago

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⚡️Key mediator Pakistan says technical-level Iran-U.S. talks on their interim deal will begin on Sunday in Switzerland 💧 Rainbet.com the #1 Non-KYC Crypto Casino & Sportsbook @rainbetcom +18

telegram bot · about 3 hours ago