Will US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad be 'world's most powerful reset'? Here is what's at stake

US President Donald Trump on Friday wrote a cryptic post on Truth Social, just ahead of Vice President J.D. Vance's visit to Islamabad for the highly anticipated peace talks with Iran.

"World's most powerful reset," the post read, sparking confusion online about what Trump intended, even as the former threat of "ending a civilisation" rings fresh in Iranian ears.

He later followed this up with a threat, saying that "only reason (Iran is) alive today is to negotiate".

"The Iranians are better at handling the Fake News Media, and 'Public Relations,' than they are at fighting!" he wrote in another Truth Social post.

The talks, aimed at ending the war in the Gulf between Iran and US-Israel forces, are scheduled to take place on Saturday, amid Israel's attacks on Lebanon, which threatens the stability of the two-week ceasefire.

Vance, who leads the US delegation for the talks, is already en route to Islamabad, and stated that he would be negotiating based on Trump's "pretty clear guidelines".

“If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we're certainly willing to extend the open hand ... If they're going to try to play us, then they're going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive," he added.

Iranian lawmaker M.B. Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to lead the delegation from Tehran's side, which is based on its 10-point plan that Trump earlier called "workable".

One key clause within the 10-point plan was Iran's desire to impose tolls on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which Oman has since rejected. THE WEEK could not independently verify whether this clause was modified ahead of the talks in Pakistan.

More importantly, Iran has demanded that Israel stop its attacks on Lebanon and other nations falling under the 'Axis of Resistance'. The Israeli attacks on Beirut led to one of the most violent days since the war in the Gulf began on February 28, with more than 300 dead and thousands injured so far.

Tehran has kept the Lebanon ceasefire as a crucial requirement for the peace talks in Islamabad—a requirement that the US and Israel have both denied.

Tel Aviv later decided to seek peace talks with Beirut at Trump's behest, but warned that there would be no ceasefire during the talks, which are speculated to take place in the US.

The attacks on Lebanon have also led to Iran using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage. Tehran has said that the crucial waterway remains open, but the safe passage of vessels is subject to approval from the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Though Trump has called this existing arrangement at the strait a "poor job", the situation at the Strait of Hormuz remains uncertain.