US delegation led by JD Vance holds informal talks with Pakistani leadership in warm exchange ahead of formal negotiations process
News Desk
BÜRGENSTOCK, SWITZERLAND: Shehbaz Sharif and Asim Munir held a cordial meeting with a senior United States delegation on the sidelines of ongoing Iran–US technical-level talks, in what officials described as part of an increasingly layered diplomatic effort taking place at the venue in Switzerland.
The US delegation, which included JD Vance alongside Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met the Pakistani leadership in an informal exchange that officials characterised as warm and cooperative. The interaction reportedly began with handshakes and brief exchanges of pleasantries, setting a notably conciliatory tone against the backdrop of complex regional negotiations.
According to accounts shared by participants, JD Vance praised Pakistan’s role in facilitating communication between the relevant parties, stating: “We love Pakistan, and we are grateful for what you have done.” The remark was interpreted by officials as a public acknowledgement of Islamabad’s involvement in maintaining diplomatic channels and supporting efforts to keep the broader negotiation process on track.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked the US delegation in return, noting what he described as their swift engagement in the evolving diplomatic process. He said their participation had helped reinforce momentum at a sensitive stage and emphasised the importance of continued coordination among all stakeholders involved in the wider talks.
The meeting took place alongside parallel discussions involving Iranian and American representatives, as part of a multi-track diplomatic format aimed at narrowing differences through both formal and informal channels. Officials indicated that additional engagements with the Iranian delegation were expected to follow, underscoring the fluid and continuous nature of the negotiations.
Diplomatic sources said such interactions were intended to sustain momentum across competing diplomatic tracks, allowing space for clarification and alignment even as substantive negotiations continued behind closed doors. The broader aim, they added, remained the gradual construction of a framework for reducing regional tensions and stabilising relations among key actors.
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