The "Islamabad" negotiations. American confirmation and Iranian denial of direct meeting

All eyes are on the Pakistani capital Islamabad, where accelerated diplomatic moves point to signs of an upcoming second round of talks between Iran and the United States to end the war.

While the atmosphere suggests the possibility of resuming dialogue, there were conflicting statements between the two sides about the nature of these meetings, between Washington's emphasis on "direct confrontation" and Tehran's adherence to "mediation."

Iranian denial, American confirmation

After Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Pakistan on Friday evening, Tehran was quick to rule out any direct negotiations with representatives of the U.S. government.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei confirmed at dawn on Saturday that "no direct meeting is scheduled," explaining that Pakistani officials will take over the task of conveying messages between the two delegations.

White House spokeswoman Carolyn Levitt confirmed that special envoys Steve Whitkoff and Jared Kushner, who traveled to Islamabad on Saturday, will meet with Araqchi face-to-face. Levitt noted that the meeting came "at Tehran's request," noting that Washington has observed progress in the Iranian position over the past few days.

Upcoming Iranian show

For his part, US President Donald Trump revealed that Iran intends to make an offer aimed at meeting Washington's demands, and although he said that he did not yet know the details of the offer, he confirmed that the US administration is currently dealing with "responsible people" in Tehran.

In a related context, media reports said that Araqchi is carrying a written and comprehensive response to previous proposals made by Pakistani army chief Asim Munir during his recent visit to Tehran.

Negotiation Accounts and Protocol

At the level of the US delegation, the "Washington Post" newspaper quoted officials as saying that the decision not to send Vice President J.D. Vance at this stage is in line with the "negotiating protocol", and observers considered that his absence could make it easier for the US administration to maneuver in the media in case the talks falter. At the same time, it was reported that the US envoys are moving to include Israeli interests and goals in the negotiating position with the Iranian side.

Challenges on the Ground and the Siege

These diplomatic efforts come amid tangible tension on the ground, as Tehran insists on the need to lift the blockade imposed on its ports on April 13, considering it a violation of the ceasefire in force since the 8th of the same month. On the other hand, Washington continues to adhere to the blockade as a tool of pressure, while pushing a third aircraft carrier into the region.

Meanwhile, the ground in southern Lebanon continues to witness truce violations, as the Israeli army continues to launch raids on the towns of Deir Ames and Kunin, while carrying out bombings of residential neighborhoods in Bint Jbeil, putting political de-escalation efforts to the test of the ongoing military escalation.