US, Iran to hold peace talks in Islamabad later this week: sources

After years of escalating tensions and intermittent diplomatic backchanneling, high-stakes peace negotiations between the United States and Iran are set to convene in Islamabad, Pakistan later this week, multiple anonymous sources confirmed in a report shared by Reuters on Tuesday. The development, first updated publicly by Xinhua News Agency on April 14, 2026, marks a rare step toward de-escalation between two long-standing adversarial powers that have been at odds over regional security, nuclear policy, and geopolitical influence for decades. Pakistan, a country that maintains diplomatic and economic ties with both Washington and Tehran, has stepped into the role of neutral host for the talks, leveraging its regional standing to facilitate face-to-face dialogue between the two negotiating teams. While details surrounding the specific agenda, key delegates, and expected outcomes of the closed-door discussions remain tightly under wraps, the confirmation of the meeting itself signals a potential shift away from the heightened confrontation that has defined US-Iran relations in recent years. Diplomatic observers note that hosting high-level talks between the two nations also underscores Pakistan’s growing role as a mediator in regional conflicts, balancing its own strategic partnerships to create space for peaceful negotiation. As of Tuesday, neither the US State Department nor Iranian foreign ministry officials have issued an official public statement confirming or denying the scheduling of the talks.