Final chapter : Distrust but hope

Defence affairs - Def-Geopolitics

The Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf arrived here early Saturday for talks with the United States to end the hostilities in the Middle East. However, distrust between the two adversaries still shadows their peace talks scheduled for later on the day.

Speaking to reporters upon arrival at Islamabad, Qalibaf told reporters that "twice within less than a year, in the middle of negotiations, and despite the Iranian side's good faith, they attacked us and committed numerous war crimes," recalling the country's past experience of betrayal by the United States.

"We have goodwill, but we do not have trust (in Americans)," Qalibaf reiterated, according to the Tasnim news agency.

If the American side is ready for a genuine agreement and to grant the rights of the Iranian nation, then they would witness Iran's readiness for an agreement. However, should Washington seek to use negotiation as a futile show and a deception operation, Tehran is prepared to secure the Iranian nation's rights by relying on its own capabilities, Qalibaf said.

According to Iranian media reports, Qalibaf, with his fellow delegates, will meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday morning. If the U.S. side accepts the preconditions proposed by Iran -- a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran's blocked assets, the two sides will begin negotiations at the Serena Hotel on Saturday afternoon.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Friday left Washington for Islamabad, Pakistan, and is expected to land here in the midday. Before his departure, the U.S. negotiation team leader warned Iran not to "play" the United States in the upcoming talks.

As the president of the United States (Donald Trump) said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we're certainly willing to extend the open hand. If they're going to try to play us, then they're going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive," Vance said.

"We're going to try to have a positive negotiation. The president gave us some pretty clear guidelines, and we're going to see," said Vance.