Iran-US Peace Push
Iranian President Pezeshkian in Pakistan for US-Iran War-End Talks Amid Nuclear Setback
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Key Points
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Islamabad has imposed tight security for Pezeshkian’s visit, with heavy-traffic in Islamabad’s Red Zone suspended from midnight and all Red Zone entry points closed to traffic except for the Marriott and Margalla Road entrances; additionally, ministries located in the Red Zone were instructed to work from home.
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Tehran has publicly asserted that there are no scheduled IAEA inspections of its bombed nuclear sites, even as Swiss talks previously suggested an inspection agreement.
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The IAEA has been intermittently present in Iran since the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict but has not been granted access to the enrichment sites that were bombed during the war, complicating verification talks.
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Switzerland-hosted talks were co-led by Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf alongside US Vice President JD Vance, expanding the list of mediators and participants beyond the name-highlighted in initial summaries.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian landed at Nur Khan Airbase in Islamabad on June 23, 2026, for talks aimed at sealing a permanent end to the US-Iran war Business Recorder. His visit follows the signing of a 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding on June 17, which set a 60-day clock for technical teams to finalize a peace framework Dawn.
But the talks face a serious complication. Iran says there are no scheduled IAEA inspections of its bombed nuclear sites — even as US Vice President JD Vance claimed last week that Iran had "completely agreed" to inspections CBS News. That direct contradiction puts the deal on fragile ground before the hard work has even begun.
Islamabad Locks Down as Pezeshkian Meets Pakistani Leaders
Pakistan imposed a tight security cordon across Islamabad's Red Zone from midnight on June 22. All entry points were closed except for the Marriott and Margalla Road entrances The Thursday Times. Ministries in the Red Zone were told to work from home. The restrictions reflect how high the stakes are for Pakistan, which has staked its reputation as a credible peace broker on this process.
Pezeshkian is meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. Beyond the war-ending talks, the two sides plan to discuss the long-delayed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, trade expansion, and regional connectivity The Edge Singapore. Sharif has described the current negotiating atmosphere as "positive and constructive."
Swiss Summit Laid Groundwork, but Nuclear Gap Remains Wide
High-level talks opened June 21 at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland BNN Bloomberg. US Vice President JD Vance co-led the session with Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. Vance said afterward: "We haven't built the house, but we've laid a successful foundation." The talks nearly collapsed when Trump posted social media threats to "hit Iran harder," triggering an 80-minute recess and a formal protest from Qalibaf PBS.
The biggest sticking point is nuclear verification. An estimated 900 pounds of 60%-enriched uranium lies buried under rubble at the bombed Isfahan site CBS News. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei was blunt: "There is simply no established procedure for IAEA inspections of bombed sites... Iran has made no new commitments" Washington Post. The IAEA has been present in Iran since the 2025 conflict but has not been granted access to any of the destroyed enrichment facilities.
Hormuz Shipping Recovers, Economic Relief Hangs in the Balance
There are early signs the ceasefire is holding at sea. On June 22, 35 commercial ships transited the Strait of Hormuz — the highest volume since the war began, according to shipping data firm Kpler. That is a significant rebound from the height of the crisis, when the Hormuz closure cut global daily oil exports from 16 million to roughly 4 million barrels per day. The IEA estimates the crisis removed 1.1 million barrels of daily demand from the global market.
Economic incentives are central to keeping Iran at the table. US advisor Jared Kushner proposed unfreezing Iranian assets specifically to buy American agricultural goods — corn, soy, and wheat AP. If the 60-day roadmap succeeds, the US Treasury is ready to extend oil waivers past the current August 21 deadline The Guardian. Iran is also pushing for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as part of any final deal, and a de-confliction cell in Beirut is being negotiated to manage fighting involving Hezbollah.
Iran's Conditions Signal the Deal Is Far From Done
Pezeshkian has been careful not to oversell the progress. He said the talks "have been planned in such a way that the rights of the Iranian nation are fully secured" Anadolu Agency. That framing — rights, not concessions — signals Tehran is not treating this as a surrender. Qalibaf went further, declaring: "The Strait of Hormuz will never return to its pre-war conditions... it will be administered by the Islamic Republic" Al-Monitor.
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War note that Iran is trying to tie any nuclear concessions to immediate economic relief and a guaranteed Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon ISW. The Pentagon is separately seeking $80 billion from Congress to cover the cost of the 2025–2026 war Wall Street Journal. With the 60-day clock running and the two sides contradicting each other on inspections, the window for a deal is real — but narrow.
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