Israel to announce 4 a.m. Beirut ceasefire before U.S.-Iran talks

Israel plans to announce a commitment to a ceasefire at 4 a.m. Beirut time, a step described as a prerequisite for proximity talks in Islamabad scheduled for this weekend. The talks will involve a U.S. delegation led by Sen. J.D. Vance and an Iranian team headed by Abbas Araghchi, with Pakistan serving as the intermediary.

The talks will use a proximity format: U.S. and Iranian teams will be in separate rooms inside a secure Islamabad facility while Pakistani officials relay messages between them. Pakistan’s government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, will act as the host and message shuttle rather than as a direct negotiating party.

The U.S. delegation is led by Vance and includes developer Steve Witkoff and former senior adviser Jared Kushner. U.S. priorities presented for the talks focus on measures to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, including strict limits on uranium enrichment or a suspension of certain enrichment activities, coupled with verification and inspection mechanisms. U.S. negotiators also plan to press for protections for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and steps to reduce attacks by Iran-backed proxy groups that threaten regional security and energy flows.

Iran’s delegation is headed by Araghchi, with senior political figure Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf listed among participants. Iranian demands center on economic relief through the lifting of sanctions that affect oil exports and access to the international financial system. Iran also seeks to preserve its right to a civilian nuclear program, including enrichment, and wants guarantees against military pressure and efforts aimed at regime change, along with formal recognition of its regional role. It is not clear whether military representatives, including members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, will attend.

Officials involved describe the arrangement as high-level but cautious, reflecting low trust between the sides. The proximity format is intended to limit direct contact while allowing negotiators to exchange proposals and counterproposals through Pakistani intermediaries. Organizers say the structure is designed to allow technical and political issues to be discussed without forcing immediate compromises.

Key topics expected in Islamabad include the scope and duration of any enrichment limits, the sequencing and scale of sanctions relief, verification and inspection arrangements, and measures to limit proxy violence in the region. If the ceasefire commitment holds, the delegations will begin talks in Islamabad this weekend under Pakistani mediation.