Islamabad, April 11: US Vice President, J.D. Vance, arrived in Islamabad at around 11:15 A.M. (IST) on Saturday to lead the American delegation for the crucial US-Iran talks.

All eyes are on Islamabad this weekend as high-stakes negotiations between the US and Iran get underway, carrying major implications for stability in the Middle East and the global economy.

Speaking to reporters before departing from Joint Base Andrews aboard Air Force Two, Vance struck an optimistic tone about the upcoming discussions. “We’re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive,” he said.

The negotiations mark the first formal engagement between Washington and Tehran in this phase, facilitated by a fragile two-week ceasefire that has temporarily reduced tensions in the region.

However, uncertainty looms large, with ongoing developments — particularly Israel’s strikes on Hezbollah and disagreements over Lebanon’s role in any potential agreement — posing risks to the process.

The US is represented by a high-level delegation that includes Vice President Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump. The team is expected to push for a structured framework in the negotiations, with clear directives from the White House.

Reiterating the administration’s stance, Vance said, “We’re looking forward to negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive.”

He added that the US approach would depend on Iran’s intent. “As the President of the United States said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand,” Vance stated. “If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive.”

He further emphasised that the delegation is entering the talks with defined guidelines. “So we’re going to try to have a positive negotiation. The President gave us some pretty clear guidelines, and we’re going to see,” he said.

On the Iranian side, the delegation will be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Tehran, April 11: A symbolic image from aboard an aircraft carrying Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf to Islamabad, showing portraits of children killed in the Minab school attack placed on aeroplane seats alongside backpacks and roses.

During the flight to Islamabad, Ghalibaf used the high-stakes journey to present a striking visual message. Inside the aircraft, several empty seats were arranged with photographs and personal belongings of victims of the Minab school strike, many of them children, who were killed in what Iran describes as a US-Israeli attack.

Sharing the image on X, Ghalibaf wrote, “My companions on this flight, Minab 168”, referring to the children and staff who lost their lives in the February 28, 2026, strike on an elementary school in Minab.

The incident, which reportedly resulted in at least 165 deaths and left more than 100 injured, has emerged as a key reference point in Iran’s narrative ahead of the negotiations, shaping its messaging on the international stage.

Upon arrival in Islamabad, Ghalibaf adopted a cautious stance, stating that Iran is entering the talks with “good intentions but no trust,” according to Tasnim News Agency.

He noted that previous rounds of negotiations had consistently failed to yield lasting outcomes.

“Unfortunately, our experience of negotiating with the Americans has always been met with failure and breach of contract,” he said, adding that even during earlier engagements, Iran had faced actions it considers violations of prior understandings.

Outlining Tehran’s position, Ghalibaf emphasised that any agreement would depend on the approach taken by the United States.

“In the upcoming negotiations, if the American side is ready to make a real agreement and grant the rights of the Iranian people, they will see our readiness to make an agreement as well,” he said.

He also cautioned against what he described as insincerity in diplomatic efforts, warning that Iran would respond firmly if negotiations were used as a cover for actions lacking genuine intent.

On the American side, J.D. Vance, speaking ahead of his departure for Islamabad, signalled openness to dialogue, provided it is conducted in good faith.

“If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we are certainly willing to extend the open hand,” he said, while also issuing a warning: “If they’re going to try to play us, they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive.”

US President Donald Trump also commented on the situation via social media, suggesting that Iran may be overestimating its leverage ahead of the talks and pointing to ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz as part of the broader geopolitical context.

Kabul, April 10: At least 148 people have been killed and 216 others injured in Afghanistan in the past two weeks following heavy rains, flash floods, landslides, earthquakes and lightening that has struck several parts of the country, local media reported on Friday citing updates released by the Afghan disaster authorities.

Nangarhar province in Eastern Afghanistan was among the worst-hit areas of Afghanistan in the latest wave of extreme weather conditions, Afghanistan’s leading news agency Khaama Press reported. According to the authorities, 24 people were killed and 33 others injured in Nangarhar in the past two days, with many deaths related to collapsing roofs, floodwaters and storm-related damage. At least 1,149 homes were destroyed while roads, farmland and local infrastructure suffered extensive damage, as per the reports.

Over 7,500 families have been impacted, showcasing how seasonal storms cause humanitarian emergency in rural and poorly protected areas. Key roads have been damaged, disrupting connectivity between Kabul and several provinces of Afghanistan. Stranded residents were airlifted from some areas as floods waters swept through villages and urban neighbourhoods.

The weather authorities have warned that more extreme weather conditions could lie ahead, sparking fears that casualties and destruction could further increase in the coming days, Khaama Press reported. In recent years, Afghanistan has faced repeated climate and disasters, including floods, earthquakes and droughts, which have impacted fragile communities of the country.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has said that severe seasonal flooding has caused extensive damage across Afghanistan over the past two weeks, Afghanistan-based Tolo news reported on Friday.

According to the report, the heavy rains and resulting floods from March 26 to April 6 hit communities in several provinces of Afghanistan, inundating hundreds of villages, Xinhua News Agency reported. More than 73,000 people have been impacted by the disaster.

More than 9,000 homes have been damaged and over 15,500 acres of agricultural land has been destroyed in Afghanistan, sparking concerns about food security in the impacted regions.