Pakistan invited to US-Iran talks, likely hosted by Türkiye

2026-02-03 - 13:15

Pakistan has been invited to participate in high-level diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran, according to a statement from its Foreign Ministry. The potential meeting, widely reported to be scheduled for Istanbul, Türkiye, later this week, signifies a broadening of the diplomatic engagement to include key regional actors. Confirmation and Expected Participation Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, confirmed the invitation, as reported by the Pakistani daily Dawn. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to represent Islamabad at the discussions. This development points to an effort to incorporate perspectives from significant Muslim-majority nations in the dialogue process. Reports Point to Istanbul as Venue While there has been no official confirmation of the location, major US media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, have reported that the talks are likely to take place in Istanbul on Friday. The Turkish metropolis is positioned as a neutral diplomatic ground, with Türkiye reportedly serving as the host nation for the sensitive discussions. High-Level Attendees and Agenda The anticipated meeting is expected to bring together US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, senior advisor Jared Kushner, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Officials from other regional states, such as Qatar and Egypt, are also likely to attend. The agenda is reported to cover parallel tracks, including Iran's nuclear program and broader US concerns regarding missile development and regional militia activities, despite significant remaining differences between the two main parties.