A senior Iranian delegation touched down in Islamabad on Friday for anticipated negotiations with the United States, with both sides signaling that discussions hinge on key conditions and mutual trust.

According to Iranian reports, the team is headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and formal talks are expected to proceed only if Washington agrees to Tehran’s stated prerequisites.

Pakistan's army chief Gen. Asim Munir and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a high-level Iranian delegation in Islamabad led by parliament speaker Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. pic.twitter.com/qH2oSBT1jt

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Prior to the trip, Ghalibaf outlined two conditions that he said must be addressed before any dialogue can move forward. He said that “must be fulfilled before negotiations begin”: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the unfreezing of Iranian financial assets held abroad.

In a social media message, he asserted that both steps had already been settled in principle but had not yet been carried out, saying they had been “mutually agreed upon between the parties” but had “yet to be implemented”.

On the American side, Vice President JD Vance, who is leading the U.S. delegation, cautioned Iran against attempting to manipulate the process.

“If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand,” Vance told reporters before taking off for Islamabad from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

He added a warning that any lack of sincerity would be met with resistance from the U.S. team.

“if they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive”.

At the same time, American and Israeli officials have pushed back on Tehran’s assertions regarding Lebanon, making clear that any ceasefire arrangement between the United States and Iran does not extend to that front.