US and Iran Press Ahead With Talks in Islamabad as Tensions Persist Over Hormuz and Lebanon
New Delhi: The first round of talks between the United States (US) and Iran in Islamabad, aiming to bring their conflict to an end, concluded after a working dinner, preceded by roughly three hours of talks, including face-to-face discussions between Iranian and US officials for the first time in decades. Reports said the two sides moved to the phase of "text exchanges" but there remained several hurdles to overcome.
Nevertheless, a second and then third round of talks is said to have resumed, with officials of both countries discussing technical details and experts still at the forefront. Iranian news agencies said that the nuclear issue was back on the negotiating table.
There were indications on Saturday (April 11) that some of the starting points of these negotiations, which are being facilitated by Pakistan – the "red lines" or preconditions Iran in particular was insisting upon – were negotiated but without becoming breaking points in the first few hours of the discussions.
There were also reports that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was a critical demand raised by the US negotiating team, led by Vice President J.D. Vance. This, as per a report in Financial Times, had led to a stalemate in the post-dinner talks. Despite roadblocks and objections, the talks continued late into the night, and may resume tomorrow.
As Night Falls, Talks Between Negotiating Delegations in Islamabad Continue
https://t.co/bvUp3U2ef4 pic.twitter.com/gb6BLshn1N
— Fars News Agency (@EnglishFars) April 11, 2026
While details of what has transpired behind closed doors are not yet known, reports from Iran, Israel, the United States as well as Pakistan indicate the talks in the first round focussed on concerns other than Iran's nuclear programme, the primary issue before the US-Israel launched strikes on February 28.
Iran reportedly demands an end to the attacks, compensation for damage caused by the past strikes and a guarantee that there will be no more attacks. It also wants US military forces to leave the Gulf region.
As the negotiations entered the evening, there were reports of the US unfreezing certain Iranian assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, and the US CENTCOM announcing that it was preparing to move mines out of the Strait of Hormuz using specialised warships, which invited a denial from Iran.
BREAKING: US Central Command (CENTCOM) says two of its ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz and that it has begun setting conditions for clearing mines in the waterway.
🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/EOtWE3Oub4 pic.twitter.com/beOZGgo0Yy
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 11, 2026
AP reported that a spokesperson for Iran’s joint military command denied the US's claim that two Navy destroyers transited the waterway, adding that "initiative over the passage of any vessel rests with the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran", according to Iranian media.
Spokesman of the Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters refutes CENTCOM's claims that American vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that permission of passage of any vessel through the strait lies in the hands of the Iranian Armed Forces. pic.twitter.com/3TRpLqcRbn
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) April 11, 2026
On Israel, which refused to accept the temporary ceasefire arrived at on April 8 by the US and Iran, there appears to have been a limited concession that it would lower the scale of its ongoing attacks on Lebanon's southern areas. However, none of these developments has been confirmed by the negotiating teams or Islamabad, and no detailed press conference or statement has arrived so far.
Just before the talks began, US President Donald Trump struck a slightly cautious note regarding his expectations. In a phone interview with NewsNation, he said he was uncertain about outcome. “I have no idea,” Trump said when asked how these negotiations would proceed, adding that he would know shortly whether Iran was acting in good faith.
He also warned that if negotiations did not go well, the US was prepared to "reset", saying, "We're ready to go." He said the US destroyers in the Persian Gulf would help the world, including China and European nations, resume trade through the blocked Hormuz Strait.
Meanwhile Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an early-afternoon message to Iranians that the delegation in Islamabad would "engage in negotiations with courage". He said, "whatever the outcome of the negotiations may be, the government stands firmly by the people's side".
هیأت ایرانی عالی رتبهای که در پاکستان حاضر شده با تمام وجود حافظ منافع ایران است و در همین راستا شجاعانه مذاکره خواهد کرد. در هر صورت خدمت ما به مردم لحظهای متوقف نمیشود و هر نتیجهای از مذاکرات حاصل شود دولت پای کار مردم است.
— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) April 11, 2026
With the talks now entering the expert phase, the delegation’s specialised committees are present at the negotiation site after the main discussions wrapped up, and the focus has returned to the military goals and status of Iran's nuclear programme, with reports from Iran indicating a fresh logjam.
The impasse comes as Tehran insists on preserving its military achievements and securing the rights of the Iranian people, with the strategic Hormuz Strait emerging as a major point of contention. https://t.co/nmV5qPeDNm
— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) April 11, 2026
There were several other moments of tension throughout the day. Reports said Israel carried out 200 more strikes in Lebanon on areas it said were Hezbollah-controlled. Protests broke out in Lebanon over the government's decision to hold direct talks with Israel in Washington, starting Tuesday. While Israel agreed to talks, it did not agree to halt its military operations.
One aspect of the forthcoming talks would be finding a way to disarm Hezbollah. After the protests, Lebanon’s prime minister said he would not travel to Washington, though without indicating if the meeting would still take place or if he had meant to join the delegation. Meanwhile Iran's leadership took to X in defence of Hezbollah, which in turn continued strikes into northern Israel, leading schools to close in some areas.
Anti-war demonstrations also resumed in Israel as the wartime restrictions were eased, AP reported.
There were also concerns raised about the presence of US military vessels in the Persian Gulf region, as well as accusations levelled at – which it denied – that it was still launching strikes into the region, though fewer than before the ceasefire.
The US delegation led by Vice President J.D. Vance – who arrived in Islamabad warning that he did not want to be played by Iran – included Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, along with US State Department officials and other agencies forming the negotiating and technical teams. The Iranian side was led by Parliament Speaker M.B. Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and included senior figures such as Ali Akbar Ahmadian of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Bagheri Kani, Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Kazem Gharibabadi, as well as Central Bank Governor Naser Hemmati.
No formal press conference has been held so far, though press releases have been issued.
The war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 1,953 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states according to the Associated Press. According to Reuters citing the Lebanese health ministry, more than 2,000 have died in the country and nearly 6,500 have been wounded in Israeli strikes.
This article went live on April twelfth, two thousand twenty six, at thirty-one minutes past twelve at night.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
