Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian travels to Pakistan as US and Iranian teams refine war-ending talks

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to travel to Pakistan, according to NPR, as US and Iranian teams work on a war-ending agreement. The trip to Islamabad follows another round of talks in Switzerland, where high-level negotiators met on Monday and directed additional technical discussions on the deal’s details.

NPR reported that the most recent high-level negotiations were led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. The talks in Switzerland focused on advancing the overall framework for an end to the war, while subsequent technical-level discussions were tasked with translating those positions into concrete, implementable terms.

After the Switzerland talks, the negotiating process shifted toward work by technical teams, NPR said. Those teams were working on the details of the arrangement, indicating that the agreement, while politically discussed at senior levels, still required further drafting and clarification before it could be finalized.

Pezeshkian’s travel to Pakistan, NPR said, is occurring at the same time as this continuing phase of negotiations. While the report did not specify the exact agenda items for Islamabad, the timing suggests a diplomatic effort to coordinate with regional partners during a period when US-Iran working groups are narrowing points necessary for implementation.

The US and Iran have been pursuing negotiations intended to conclude the war, and the current effort, as described by NPR, is moving from senior meetings toward detailed technical work. That step is often used to address operational issues, verification and sequencing questions, and other mechanics required to put an agreement into practice, particularly where national security concerns are involved.

Pezeshkian’s visit also underscores how regional diplomacy can intersect with major bilateral negotiations. Pakistan, as a neighbor with stakes in regional stability, can play a role in facilitating communication and support for arrangements that affect the broader security environment, even as the primary negotiations remain centered on US and Iranian counterparts.

NPR did not provide a final timeline for concluding the war-ending deal, or disclose the specific elements under technical review. With senior leaders having met in Switzerland and technical teams continuing their work, the immediate next step is continued negotiation on the deal’s terms, followed by whatever consultations and approvals are required to move from drafting to implementation.