Iran-US Talks Head For Cancel? Tehran Officials Yet To Arrive In Islamabad As Pakistan Picks Fight With Israel

With Pakistan and Israel locked in a war of words and no Tehran delegation in Islamabad, are Iran-US talks heading for cancel?

Iran has denied reports that its negotiating team ever set foot in Pakistan for peace talks with the United States.

According to Tasnim News Agency, an informed source called the claims "completely false," confirming that neither Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi nor Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has left Tehran. Both remain fully engaged in domestic duties, ignoring Washington's overtures.

The Wall Street Journal's claim that an Iranian delegation had arrived in Islamabad was rejected by Iran's Fars News Agency, which reiterated that Tehran has "no plans to attend peace talks with the American side until a ceasefire is established in Lebanon." Iranian officials have made it crystal clear: while acknowledging Pakistan's so-called mediation efforts, no engagement will occur until the U.S. fulfills its ceasefire commitments and halts Israeli aggression.

Despite frantic preparations in Islamabad-painted pavements, bolstered security, and theatrical anxiety-the supposed host nation stands exposed as a pawn, not a power broker. Iran has accused certain media outlets of manufacturing confusion to undermine Tehran's firm stance, but the real confusion lies in Pakistan's delusion of diplomatic weight.

Meanwhile, the White House confirmed that Vice President JD Vance, alongside Donald Trump's top envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would lead the American delegation. Iran's Parliament Speaker Qalibaf, a former IRGC commander, warned that "time is running out" for the U.S. and Israel to honour a ceasefire. Until then, negotiations remain frozen-and Pakistan is left scrambling for a role that never existed.

Meanwhile, Israel and Pakistan have engaged in war-of-words.

It all started after Mr Asif took to X (formerly Twitter) to label Israel "evil," "cancerous," and a "curse for humanity." In a provocative post, the minister claimed that while "peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon." He further sparked international condemnation by suggesting the state was created to "get rid of European Jews" and expressed a wish for its founders to "burn in hell."

Responding to the Pakistan minister's post, the Israeli PMO stated: "This is not a statement that can be tolerated from any government, especially not from one that claims to be a neutral arbiter for peace."

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar echoed these sentiments, categorising the remarks as "antisemitic blood libels." Mr Sa'ar argued that describing the nation as "cancerous" was effectively a call for its destruction, asserting that Israel would continue to defend itself against those vowing its liquidation.