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Technical-level talks between the United States and Iran are expected to begin in Switzerland "in a day or two," Pakistani government sources told Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) on Saturday, as both sides worked to revive negotiations postponed earlier this week over Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
"Pakistan, together with other mediators, is in touch with both sides that are expected to meet in Switzerland in a day or two to begin the next phase of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding," a source close to the mediation process said.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi departed for Tehran on Saturday to discuss the next phase of talks with Iran's leadership, Iranian state media and Pakistani sources confirmed.
Iran's state-run broadcaster Tasnim News Agency reported that Naqvi traveled to meet with senior Iranian officials and discuss the progress of negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The visit follows Iran's decision to postpone technical-level talks with the U.S., originally scheduled for Friday in Switzerland, in protest of what Tehran called "continued" Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff was en route to Switzerland Friday, according to Axios, citing an unnamed U.S. official. Trump's envoy Jared Kushner is also expected in Switzerland, with Axios reporting he had already arrived.
The U.S. delegation's trip comes as Washington and Tehran work to get the technical talks following up on the initial peace deal "back on track," according to CNN.
It is not immediately clear whether Witkoff will hold direct meetings with Iranian officials.
Vice President JD Vance, who had initially been expected to lead the U.S. delegation, postponed his trip Thursday night, the White House announced.
It remained unclear whether he would travel this weekend.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was planning to travel to Switzerland on Saturday, according to a source with knowledge of the matter who spoke to Axios, though the source cautioned this could still change.
According to a source from one of the mediating countries who spoke to Axios, Araghchi told several counterparts Friday that the ceasefire in Lebanon is a "critical issue" for Iran and "make or break" for the broader U.S.-Iran negotiations.
A second source from a mediating country who spoke to Axios said Iranian officials stressed they want to see the ceasefire take hold before traveling to Switzerland.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, one of the key mediators between Washington and Tehran, arrived in Switzerland earlier Friday.
The talks, to be led by Witkoff and Araghchi, are aimed at turning this week's interim 14-point agreement into a lasting regional settlement to end the war the United States and Israel launched on Feb. 28.
The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was electronically signed by U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday evening, intending to pave the way toward ending the conflict.
The U.S. and Iran had been set to hold direct talks in Switzerland on Friday to begin a 60-day negotiation period, but Tehran postponed them over the Lebanon strikes.
After securing a ceasefire on April 8, Pakistan hosted the highest-level direct talks between the U.S. and Iran on April 12-13, the most senior engagement between the two nations since they severed diplomatic ties in 1979.
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