Senior Iranian officials arrive in Islamabad for ceasefire talks with the United States.Published On 11 Apr 202611 Apr 2026Senior Iranian officials have arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, for ceasefire talks with the United States as violence continues across the region.Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are leading the Iranian side in the negotiations, while Washington is being represented by US Vice President JD Vance, along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.Ahead of the talks, Vance said Washington is ready to “extend an open hand” if Iran negotiates in good faith, signalling a potential opening for diplomacy after weeks of escalating tensions.At the same time, the situation on the ground remains volatile.Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Friday that at least 357 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Wednesday, warning that the death toll is expected to rise as more victims are identified.In Iran
Near internet blackout passes 1,000 hours: Monitoring group NetBlocks said the state-imposed shutdown had exceeded 1,000 hours, making it one of the longest nationwide internet disruptions on record.
‘No trust in the US’ as talks approach: Analyst Zohreh Kharazmi told Al Jazeera Iranians remain sceptical ahead of the negotiations, despite Tehran believing it holds leverage, including over the Strait of Hormuz.
War diplomacy
Iran arrives for talks: Iran’s delegation of top officials, led by Ghalibaf, arrived in Islamabad for ceasefire talks with the US, Iranian state television reported on Friday.
Lebanon-Israel talks: Lebanon’s presidency said in a statement on Friday that a meeting will be held at the US Department of State on Tuesday “to discuss declaring a ceasefire and the start date for negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under US auspices”.
Iran demands Lebanon ceasefire: Iran’s parliamentary speaker demanded a truce in Lebanon and the release of his country’s blocked assets on Friday as Vance warned Tehran not to “play” Washin …
