Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian lands in Pakistan as US-Iran teams work to finalize a war-ending deal

Islamabad — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met on Tuesday with Pakistani officials who are brokering talks on a permanent end to the war with the United States, as contradictions emerge over what has been agreed so far and renewed violence in Lebanon.

President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Islamabad came at a time when technical teams were working on the details following high-level negotiations in Switzerland on Monday between the United States and Iran.

In the Iranian capital, Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told reporters that no visits were scheduled to be made to the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency to examine Iranian nuclear sites bombed by the United States last year. US Vice President J.D. Vance said the negotiations he helped lead in Switzerland won an agreement requiring inspectors to visit the sites.

The International Atomic Energy Agency did not respond to requests for comment on its possible role. It has been in and out of Iran since Israel’s 12-day war in 2025, but has not been allowed access to enrichment sites bombed by the United States.

The United States said negotiators discussed “mechanisms” to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for oil transit that Iran effectively closed during the war, remained open. Ship traffic is increasing but questions remain about who controls the strait.

On the other hand, violence broke out again in southern Lebanon when Israeli soldiers opened fire, killing two people. Reports of violence came after two days of calm following a ceasefire reached on Saturday. Any renewed violent fighting could threaten broader diplomatic talks, with Iran demanding that a full truce in Lebanon be part of any comprehensive agreement.

The Iranian President makes his first visit to Islamabad since the start of the war

Pezeshkian and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday discussed a range of issues, including regional peace and economic cooperation, according to a statement issued by the presidency in Islamabad.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also joined the delegation, which arrived in Islamabad amid tight security measures.

This is the first visit by the Iranian president since the United States and Israel launched war on Iran on February 28. Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are scheduled to hold a joint press conference after the discussions.

In the initial talks, which mark the start of a 60-day process seeking a permanent agreement to end the war with Iran, Iran and the United States agreed to establish a “deconfliction cell” to address the fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

Prior to his meetings in Pakistan, Pezeshkian warned that “the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed commitments and their strict implementation.”

Iran says the negotiations focused on easing sanctions, nuclear issues and more

Iran suggested that the talks in Switzerland led to the creation of specific negotiating groups, including those focused on sanctions relief, nuclear issues, reconstruction, and monitoring, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

The report quoted Kazem Gharibabadi, the deputy foreign minister leading the technical talks, as saying that the countries had also formed a communication mechanism regarding ships moving through Hormuz and the fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israel occupies part of Lebanon and insists it must be able to attack militants who launch attacks on northern Israel.

The Lebanese National News Agency reported that Israeli forces opened fire and killed two men on Tuesday near the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon, saying the two men were next to a bulldozer clearing the road.

The Israeli army said that forces opened fire on four Hezbollah members who were riding a bulldozer and a motorcycle and entered a security zone and did not stop despite warning shots.

No Israeli air strikes or shelling have been reported since Sunday, the day after a ceasefire was reached, and Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for any attacks in the longest cessation of fighting since the outbreak of the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2.

Inconsistency in Iran’s use of unfrozen funds

Following the talks in Switzerland, Vance said that if Iranian financial assets are unfrozen, they will be used to buy corn, wheat and soybeans grown in the United States.

Vance also said that the United States and Qatar would receive approval for this operation. However, Iran currently has no demand for US crops, and a State Department spokesman said Tuesday that Tehran’s decisions on what to import will depend on “prices and quality.”

“It is interesting that the philosophy and goal of the war, which is the destruction of Iranian civilization and the collapse of Iran, has enriched American farmers,” Baghaei said.

Iran’s ambassador to Geneva, Ali Bahraini, questioned Vance’s claim that the United States and Qatar would agree on how Iran uses the unfrozen funds.

“Iran is the only country that decides what it will do with these assets,” he told reporters.

Netanyahu raises new questions about the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon

The Pakistani and Qatari mediators said that the “deconfliction cell” would include the Lebanese government and “ensure commitment to ending military operations in Lebanon.” But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin said on Monday that his army still had “full freedom of action” to thwart any threats.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah signed the US-Iranian agreement. Netanyahu pledged to keep his forces in southern Lebanon until all threats facing Israel are eliminated. Hezbollah refuses to stop the attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawal.

When asked about Netanyahu’s comments, US President Donald Trump said: “We’ll take a look at it,” adding that the situation “will be resolved.”

The main highway leading south from Beirut was crowded on Tuesday with displaced people from southern Lebanon returning to their homes. Among them is Hawraa Nour al-Din from the village of Khirbet Salam.

She said: “We do not want the government to conduct negotiations.” He added: “We want Iran to negotiate on our behalf, and we will return victorious whether everyone wants it or not.”

In Washington, the US State Department said that a new round of Israeli-Lebanese talks began on Tuesday, with political and security issues on the agenda.

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A spike was reported from Bangkok and Gambrill from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Abby Sewell in Beirut, Jami Keaten in Geneva, Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.