The White House has confirmed that high-level, in-person trilateral talks involving the United States, Iran, and Pakistan were still ongoing in Islamabad late Saturday, AFP reported.
A senior U.S. official said the direct negotiations are being held with Pakistan acting as host and mediator, underscoring the country’s central role in facilitating dialogue between the two sides.
Pope Leo on Saturday issued a strong appeal to world leaders, urging an immediate end to what he described as the “madness of war,” as senior U.S. and Iranian officials convened in Pakistan to negotiate a resolution to the six-week conflict, Reuters reported.
In a direct and impassioned message, the pontiff called on leaders to abandon escalation and embrace diplomacy. “Stop! It is time for peace!” he said, urging nations to “sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned.”
A senior Iranian delegation currently in Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the country’s core national interests as diplomatic talks continue.
In a post on X, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi shared remarks attributed to the Iranian President, emphasizing that the delegation remains “fully committed to safeguarding Iran’s interests” and will approach the negotiations with resolve and determination.
The statement comes as discussions in Islamabad intensify, underscoring Tehran’s firm stance while engaging in high-level diplomatic efforts.
Two rounds of negotiations between Iranian and U.S. officials have already been held in Pakistan, with a third round anticipated later Saturday or by Sunday, according to Iranian state television. The discussions are currently ongoing in Islamabad amid heightened diplomatic activity.
“According to information provided to the state TV correspondent by a person close to the negotiating team, another round of negotiations will likely be held tonight or tomorrow,” state broadcaster IRIB reported.
Two US Navy warships have transited the Strait of Hormuz at the start of an operation to clear the strategic waterway of mines laid by Iran, US Central Command said on Saturday.
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper.
USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG 121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) transited the Strait of Hormuz and operated in the Arabian Gulf.
Trilateral ceasefire negotiations involving the United States, Iran, and Pakistan have officially commenced in Islamabad. The talks mark a significant diplomatic moment, representing the highest-level direct engagement between Washington and Tehran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he spoke to his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian and urged him to use the ongoing talks in Islamabad to implement a lasting de-escalation and a demanding agreement that provides solid guarantees for security in the region.
He also emphasized the need for Iran to swiftly restore freedom and security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and called for the ceasefire to be extended to Lebanon.
Two US warships have reportedly passed through the Strait of Hormuz, the first such transit since the war with Iran began, as per reports. However, a senior Iranian military official has denied that any US vessel had entered the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would be open soon, and empty ships are rushing to the United States to “load up” on oil. “The United States has completely destroyed Iran’s Military, including their entire Navy and Air Force, and everything else,” he said.
According to the sources, face-to-face talks were held between US and Iranian negotiators in Islamabad. The US team, led by Vice President JD Vance, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, met the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he spoke to his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian and urged him to use the ongoing talks in Islamabad to implement a lasting de-escalation and a demanding agreement that provides solid guarantees for security in the region.
He also emphasized the need for Iran to swiftly restore freedom and security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and called for the ceasefire to be extended to Lebanon.
The United States has started “clearing out” the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday, as US-Iran negotiations toward a deal to end the West Asia conflict got underway, AFP reported.
Iran’s parliament speaker demanded a truce in Lebanon and the release of his country’s blocked assets on Friday as Vance warned Tehran not to “play” Washington in the Islamabad talks.
US President Donald Trump said that a large number of empty oil tankers are currently heading towards the United States to load what he described as the “best and sweetest” oil and gas in the world.
US President Donald Trump called Iran a “failing nation” and said the Strait of Hormuz will be open in a “not-so-distant future.” He also floated other alternatives to the strait in a conversation with NewsNation.
France President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday met the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and discussed the situation in the Middle East and Near East.
“We first discussed the situation in the Middle East and Near East, calling for respect for the ceasefire and its implementation in Lebanon, respect for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and underscoring the need for a robust and lasting diplomatic solution,” Macron said in a social media post.
Iran’s state-run news channel Islamic Republic of Iran News Network cautioned that ongoing talks could still be cancelled if Iran’s preconditions are not met. The report noted that withdrawing from negotiations that fail to respect Iran’s “interests, demands and red lines” could itself be framed as an “achievement,” reflecting what Iranian officials describe as a policy of “assertive diplomacy.”
Senior delegations from Iran and the United States met Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Saturday, AFP reported. The meeting marks the start of high-stakes negotiations aimed at ending the Middle East conflict that began six weeks ago following US-Israeli strikes on Tehran. The talks, facilitated by Pakistan, are seen as a critical diplomatic effort to de-escalate tensions, with both sides engaging amid a fragile ceasefire and mounting international concern over regional stability.
Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan stated that Islamabad is currently hosting diplomatic efforts aimed at ending what he described as an illegal war against Iran. He characterized the conflict as a blatant crime against the Iranian nation and its civilization, warning that it has also endangered the security of both the region and the wider world. The ambassador added that it remains to be seen whether the United States will respect and support the host country’s mediation efforts.
Iran-US Ceasefire Talks In Islamabad LIVE: The US has not agreed to release any Iranian frozen assets, a senior US official told CBS News, rebutting previous media reports.
Iran-US Ceasefire Talks In Islamabad LIVE: Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan is in Islamabad to show “economic support” as Pakistan hosts US-Iran talks aimed at ending the war in West Asia.
Iran-US Ceasefire Talks In Islamabad LIVE: A senior Iranian source said on Saturday the US had agreed to release Iranian frozen assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, welcoming the move as a sign of “seriousness” in reaching a deal with Washington in talks in Islamabad.
Iran’s President Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said that Iran is entering talks to end the war in West Asia with “complete distrust”, as he cited “repeated breaches of trust and betrayals by the U.S.”
The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and President Seyed Abbas Araghchi, met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ahead of the scheduled ceasefire talks with the United States, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported.