Islam Times – Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaking from Islamabad, said Tehran is negotiating in good faith, though past experiences have left it distrustful of the other side.The Iranian delegation, headed by Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf, arrived in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, ahead of renewed ceasefire negotiations with the US, Fars News Agency reported early Friday.
Fars reported that Iran’s delegation includes security, political, military, economic, and legal committees, noting that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Ali Akbar Ahmadian, representative of Iran’s Leader in the Supreme National Security Council, are also accompanying Ghalibaf.
According to Fars, negotiations are contingent on Washington accepting Iran’s preconditions before formal discussions can begin, underscoring Tehran’s position that prior commitments must be addressed before advancing toward a ceasefire agreement.
Notably, Ghalibaf shared early Saturday, a photo from aboard the plane to Pakistan, showing belongings of children martyred in the Minab school massacre, writing, “My companions on this trip.”
Upon arriving in Islamabad, Ghalibaf said Tehran is engaging in negotiations with good intentions but remains distrustful, citing discouraging past experiences, including wars during earlier talks. Negotiations are set to begin tomorrow afternoon at the Serena Hotel.
Iranian Presidential aide for Public Relations Mehdi Tabatabaei said the delegation’s departure reflects growing alignment between diplomacy, the field, and public sentiment, stressing military readiness to respond, strong popular backing, and diplomats poised to secure gains for Iran.
At the same time, the ceasefire remains tenuous as “Israel” continues strikes on Lebanon, complicating diplomacy.
Ghalibaf has stressed that halting aggression and releasing Iran’s frozen assets are prerequisites for talks. While initial understandings suggested the truce covered Lebanon, conflicting US positions following talks with “Israel” have raised doubts over Washington’s consistency.
Continued attacks on civilian areas, causing heavy casualties, have further undermined the already unstable diplomatic process.