Middle East Crisis Peace Talks

Iran Ahead of Talks: US Trying to Save Face

The US is trying to “save face” and find a way out of the war. This is what Iran’s Defense Ministry says ahead of the expected trip of US envoys to Pakistan on Saturday in an attempt to resume talks.

– Our armed forces are a dominant force and the enemy is looking for a way to save face and escape the predicament the war has put them in, a spokesman told Iranian media, according to AFP.

President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are on their way to Islamabad, while Iranian state media reports that direct negotiations between the countries are not on the agenda.

Expert: The Greatest Diplomatic Challenge of Our Time

Despite Iran claiming that there are no planned meetings with the US, Middle East expert Anders Persson believes that the parties will meet in Pakistan soon. He tells TV4 Nyheterna that a physical meeting is not required for it to be considered diplomatic progress.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the capital Islamabad yesterday, and Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to travel there on Saturday.

Persson believes that there may be some minor progress, but that a full agreement is a long way off.

- Agreeing on all issues is perhaps the greatest diplomatic challenge of our time, he says.

Abbas Araghchi in place – but no talks with the US are planned

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has landed in Pakistan, but no talks with the US are planned. This is reported by CNN, citing the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

“No meeting is planned between Iran and the United States. Iran's views will be conveyed to Pakistan,” writes a spokesperson on X.

CNN writes that this contributes to the picture of “conflicting signals about the peace talks during a week marked by uncertainty”.

Earlier in the day, the White House stated that US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are traveling to Pakistan tomorrow to meet with Araghchi, reports AP.