Trump Praises Pakistan as US and Iran Negotiate Peace

The United States and Iran held the first high-level face-to-face talks since 1979 in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 16. Facilitated by the Government of Pakistan, the one-day engagement reopened direct diplomatic channels between the two adversaries. While initial rounds led by Vice President JD Vance did not reach a breakthrough, subsequent efforts led to a breakthrough regarding regional maritime security.

Donald Trump praised Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir as extraordinary and fantastic leaders for their mediation roles. Following these talks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened for commercial shipping for the duration of a ceasefire. Despite this, Trump stated the U.S. naval blockade of Iran will persist until negotiations are fully completed.

Trump expressed optimism that a final peace agreement is near, claiming Iran has agreed to surrender its nuclear program and enriched uranium. He indicated that he may travel to Islamabad to sign the deal if it is finalized there, suggesting the agreement would lower global oil prices. To sustain this momentum, Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Tehran to prepare for a second round of negotiations. Trump noted that U.S. and Iranian negotiators would likely meet over a coming weekend to finalize the terms.