Dar urges US and Iran to uphold ceasefire after Islamabad talks

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday said it was imperative for the United States and Iran to honour their ceasefire commitments following the conclusion of high-level talks in Islamabad.

The trilateral engagement ended after nearly 21 hours of continuous negotiations that began on Saturday afternoon, with US Vice President JD Vance stating that discussions with Iran did not result in an agreement. He said the outcome was “bad news for Iran much more than the United States,” while acknowledging that intensive dialogue had taken place on key issues.

Following the press briefing, Vance departed Islamabad, describing the final position presented by Washington as its “last and best offer,” while noting that it was now up to Iran to respond. He was seen leaving aboard Air Force Two at 7:08am, where he acknowledged Pakistani officials present at the airport.

Speaking on the conclusion of the talks, Dar expressed gratitude to both delegations for responding to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s call for an immediate ceasefire and for participating in negotiations hosted in Islamabad. He said the US delegation, led by Vance, and the Iranian delegation, headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, engaged in multiple rounds of intensive discussions facilitated by Pakistan.

Dar said Pakistan, alongside the Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, assisted in mediating sustained negotiations between the two sides that continued over the past 24 hours. He added that Islamabad remained thankful to both parties for acknowledging Pakistan’s facilitation efforts.

He stressed that maintaining the ceasefire was essential, saying continued commitment from both sides was necessary to ensure stability and progress towards lasting peace in the region.

“We hope both sides continue with the positive spirit to achieve durable peace and prosperity for the region and beyond,” he said, adding that Pakistan would continue to play a facilitating role in future engagement between Washington and Tehran.