US and Iran prepare for critical peace talks in Islamabad to end their six-week conflict, but significant obstacles threaten negotiations. Iran demands commitments on Lebanon ceasefire and sanctions relief before discussions can proceed, creating immediate friction with the American delegation led by Vice President JD Vance. The Iranian delegation, headed by Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, arrived Friday with clear preconditions. A fundamental disagreement persists over Lebanon's role in talks, with Israel and the US excluding it from ceasefire terms while Iran insists it must be included. Trump dismissed Iranian leverage on social media, stating they have no negotiating power beyond short-term extortion through control of international waterways.
