Pakistan Says It Will Host Peace Talks Between the U.S. and Iran. Here’s Where Each Side Stands

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced his country will host U.S.-Iran peace talks "in the coming days," with both nations reportedly expressing confidence in Pakistan's mediation role. The announcement came as thousands of additional U.S. Marines arrived in the Middle East and the Trump administration circulated a 15-point proposal demanding Iran dismantle nuclear sites, halt uranium enrichment, cease proxy support, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf rejected the talks as cover for a ground invasion, while the U.S. simultaneously prepares to deploy 2,500 more Marines and potentially conduct operations targeting strategic Iranian oil infrastructure like Kharg Island. Trump, led by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has claimed productive conversations are underway, though Iran has publicly dismissed the U.S. proposal and countered with its own five-point plan requiring an end to "aggression," war reparations, and Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Gulf states remain divided, with Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait favoring swift cease-fires while the UAE and Saudi Arabia support continued military escalation.