Overview
- - The two sides, which began face-to-face talks Saturday in Islamabad under Pakistani mediation, are seeking a halt to a six‑week regional war and a path to restart shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
- - Washington said U.S. Navy destroyers transited the Hormuz chokepoint and President Donald Trump said the “unblocking” had begun, but an Iranian military official denied any such passage and key details remain contested.
- - Iran’s state outlets touted movement on releasing frozen Iranian assets, yet a U.S. official rejected that claim, underscoring the mistrust that frames these first high‑level direct talks since the 1979 revolution.
- - The main gaps are clear: the U.S. presses for reopening Hormuz, while Iran seeks sanctions relief, access to frozen funds, and a cease-fire that also covers Lebanon.
- - Pakistan ringed the venue with tight security and hosted trilateral meetings, even as Israel struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, a front that could derail a fragile truce and keep oil and shipping costs elevated.