U.S. delegation (left) and Iranian delegation [AP·EPA=Yonhap News]

U.S. and Iranian delegations began talks in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, on the 11th (local time) to end the war. This is the highest-level meeting to take place in approximately 50 years.

Iranian media outlets such as IRNA, Tasnim, and Mehr simultaneously reported that "negotiations between Iran and the U.S. side have begun in Islamabad" around 5:30 PM Pakistan time.

It appears that the delegations from both countries officially entered into negotiations after meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately earlier in the day to discuss the agenda and format of the talks. According to foreign media, the meeting venue was the five-star Serena Hotel in Islamabad.

The U.S. delegation is led by Vice President J.D. Vance and includes Jared Kushner, the eldest son-in-law of President Donald Trump, and Steve Wicoff, the Middle East envoy. Iranian media reported that the U.S. delegation numbered about 300, including security personnel.

The Iranian side includes Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The entire Iranian delegation is reported to consist of about 70 people.

Reuters, AP, CNN, and the BBC have attributed significance to the meeting, noting that it was held in a trilateral format with Pakistan in attendance, allowing for direct face-to-face discussions between the U.S. and Iran.

Al Jazeera also reported that "according to sources, both sides are engaged in direct negotiations with a Pakistani mediator present," calling it a "dramatic development."

This marks the highest-level meeting in 47 years since diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed in 1979, and it is the first official face-to-face negotiation between the two countries since the Iran nuclear deal was reached in 2015.

The talks are being held four days after both countries unexpectedly agreed to a two-week ceasefire on the 7th. Previously, the U.S. presented a 15-point peace proposal to Iran, to which Iran counter-proposed 10 demands.

IRNA reported, "The two countries decided to start negotiations considering the intensive consultations and progress made in Islamabad, restraint by Israel in attacking from Beirut to southern Lebanon, and the U.S. side's acceptance of the release of frozen Iranian assets, to finally resolve these issues."

Before the meeting began, the Iranian delegation conveyed four "red lines" to Prime Minister Sharif: recognition of control rights over the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damages, release of Iran's frozen overseas assets, and cessation of hostilities throughout the Middle East, according to IRIB. These are believed to have been conveyed to the U.S. delegation.

Following the commencement of the meeting, Iran's state-run IRIB broadcast reported that "the talks have entered the expert stage," with economic, military, legal, and nuclear committee members of the Iranian delegation being deployed to the negotiation table, drawing attention to the progress of the dialogue.

Reuters reported that the delegations from both countries paused talks for a break after approximately two hours of discussions.

Prior to the meeting, the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the arrival of the delegations from both countries, stating, "We will support both sides to participate constructively and find a lasting and robust solution to the conflict."

CNN, citing sources familiar with the negotiations, predicted that "the negotiations will take several days." However, Iran's Tasnim news agency indicated that "under the current plan, if the meeting is held, it is likely to last for one day."