Decisive Iran–U.S. negotiations in Islamabad; high-level diplomatic alignment

Analysis by Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Head of the Iqbal Forum , on today’s meeting in Pakistan:

Composition of the Iranian team; powerful and multidimensional

Iran has sent the most comprehensive negotiating delegation in its history, led by Dr. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, placing significant weight in Islamabad. The simultaneous presence of Araghchi (political), Gharibabadi (legal), Abdolnaser Hemmati (economic), along with 71 senior experts, indicates Tehran’s full readiness for strategic decisions.

The U.S. team; from J.D. Vance to Kushner

The presence of J.D. Vance, the U.S. Vice President, at the head of the delegation has further increased the importance of this meeting. The previous negotiation team, including Jared Kushner, is now operating under Vance’s direct supervision (a potential future presidential candidate).

 Key points of the analysis:

• Critical timing: The negotiations are set to begin around 16:00 to 17:00 Pakistan time (15:00 Tehran time).
• Pakistan’s diplomatic victory: By hosting this meeting, Islamabad has established itself as the most successful diplomatic actor in the region.
• Shift in the balance of power: Bagheri added that Gulf countries have come to believe that the United States no longer has the capacity to protect their infrastructure as before; this has led to closer defense ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
• Logic of victory: Referring to Henry Kissinger’s theory, Iran in this asymmetric conflict is considered victorious simply by “not being defeated” by a superpower.