Iran war peace talks face major gaps between sides in ending conflict

Iran war peace talks face major gaps between sides in ending conflictTwo of the warring parties in the Gulf conflict - the US and Iran - have begun indirect discussions amid a shaky ceasefire, with Israel under pressure over Lebanon attacksNewsLiam Doyle14:27, 11 Apr 2026View 6 ImagesJD Vance arrived in Pakistan to start the talks(Image: PAKISTAN FOREIGN MINISTRY/HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock)Iran peace talks will need to bridge a yawning gap of wants and goals as negotiators come to the table in a bid to make a two-week ceasefire a permanent truce.‌Donald Trump officially ceased US operations in the Middle East last week with a pausing of hostilities that drew a messy end to more than a month of bombardments in Iran which critics have argued accomplished very little - if anything at all. Follow-up talks with Pakistan's prime minister began in earnest on Saturday, on a backdrop of deep disagreements and unabated fighting from the US' Israeli warring partners in Lebanon.‌Indirect discussions reportedly got under way today between the US and Iran in Islamabad, though it was unclear if the parties were in the same room. A US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and an Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf must bridge several massive divides.‌OPINIONMikey SmithDonald Trump's weirdest week has left him isolated with nowhere to go on IranDonald Trump