The United States and Iran will resume their crucial technical and nuclear talks on neutral territory in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on July 11. The diplomatic breakthrough comes at a time of extremely high tensions after a fragile interim agreement (memorandum of understanding) signed on June 17-18 virtually collapsed within the past week.
Although US President Donald Trump officially declared the ceasefire over („Ceasefire is OVER!“) after new Iranian attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Washington accepted Tehran's request to continue the talks. As of 00:15 Bulgarian time, both sides confirmed that the diplomatic channel in Pakistan remains in force.
The Agenda: What will be decided at the table?
According to official information disseminated by regional media such as Al Arabiya, the focus of today's discussions will fall on three critical areas:
- Iran's Nuclear Program: Achieving Clear Regulation and Limiting Tehran's Nuclear Ambitions.
- Economic Sanctions: Discussing terms for lifting heavy US sanctions against Iran.
- Frozen Assets: The Fate of Billions of Dollars of Iranian State Funds Blocked in Foreign Accounts.
- Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz: Urgent restoration of security along the international sea route, where traffic has dropped dramatically in recent days.
Diplomacy under missile fire
The new round of talks in Pakistan begins literally on the brink of a full-scale regional war. The conflict, which began on February 28, 2026, has entered a critical phase. Just days ago, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) launched massive strikes on over 80 targets in Iran in response to attacks on tankers. Tehran responded by firing missiles and drones at US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
Additional diplomatic pressure was also exerted by new sanctions imposed on Friday by the US Treasury Department on key Iranian financial networks in Dubai, accused of financing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. The negotiations themselves were delayed for several days to await the conclusion of official mourning ceremonies for the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed early in the war.
The role of mediators
Pakistan, along with Qatar, is playing a key role as an "honest broker" in trying to salvage peace. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held urgent talks with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, urging restraint and preserving the "hard-won peace".
Despite skepticism from some political circles in Washington and Donald Trump's belligerent rhetoric, analysts say the White House has a strong domestic political incentive to seek a peaceful solution ahead of the US midterm elections in November. On the other hand, Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that his country would not surrender and was ready for a "full-scale defense" if the US violated the agreements reached.
The talks in Islamabad are expected to continue all day behind closed doors, with their results determining whether the Middle East will move towards de-escalation or a new, even more destructive phase of the war.