The U.S. has dismissed the claims made by Iranian officials regarding concessions before the pivotal peace talks scheduled this weekend in Islamabad, Pakistan.
An Iranian source reported on Friday to Reuters that the U.S. had reportedly agreed to unfreeze Iranian assets held in Qatar and other banks. This source spoke anonymously, asserting that such a move indicated Washington’s seriousness in negotiating.
This alleged asset release was communicated as one of Iran’s demands during discussions with the U.S., with hints that it involved a figure around $6 billion. Furthermore, the source linked these assets to discussions surrounding safe passage through the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, later said on social media that two conditions had already been reached with the U.S.: the unfreezing of assets linked to ongoing sanctions and achieving a ceasefire in Lebanon. He stressed that the negotiations would only proceed once these were satisfied.
However, the U.S. swiftly countered these claims. A White House official responded, stating, “False. The meetings have not even started yet,” underlining the ongoing nature of the dialogues. Fox News reported this response.
The U.S. delegation, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and White House envoy Jared Kushner have now arrived in Pakistan for the U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks that will be held in Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/M2wUoF5TmN
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 11, 2026
The upcoming talks in Islamabad mark the first direct interactions between U.S. and Iranian delegations since the recent ceasefire began. These discussions are being mediated by Pakistan following weeks of intense negotiations.
The U.S. delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, alongside Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, contrasts with the Iranian side, which is headed by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Though both sides met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, direct dialogues will not occur.
The focus of the agenda is to transition the temporary ceasefire into a lasting agreement, centering around the crucial Strait of Hormuz and broader regional stability. While discussions are in early stages, both parties have contested various reports regarding the negotiations.
President Donald Trump has made his objectives clear, emphasizing that any agreement must ensure Iran remains nuclear-free. He has laid out what he considers a “workable basis to negotiate” while reiterating that uranium enrichment is off the table. “There will be no enrichment of Uranium,” he stated in a recent Truth Social post, calling for the dismantling of all nuclear facilities.
Trump has also indicated that the Strait of Hormuz should naturally open to shipping as part of normalization, mentioning that sanctions could be eased if security goals are achieved.
