Islamabad prepares to host historic talks between Iran and US | US-Israel war against Iran

The streets of Islamabad were tightly cordoned off as Pakistan’s capital prepared to play host to historic talks between Iran and the US that held out the promise of an end to the war that has ravaged the Middle East.

Even so the US-Iran ceasefire looked increasingly precariousAmid Israel’s continued bombing of Lebanon and disputes over the terms of the talks, Pakistani officials insisted the make-or-break peace talks over the weekend would go ahead as planned.

The conflict, which began when Israel and the US attacked Iran in late February, has left thousands dead and caused global economic devastation. Iran’s retaliatory blockade of the critical shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz, has led to a global shortage of oil and gas and caused the worst energy crisis in history.

It was Pakistan’s mediation efforts on Tuesday night that eventually the two warring countries pushed to agree to a two-week truceAfter US President Donald Trump threatened that an “entire civilization will die” if Iran did not meet his demands.

As part of the ceasefire agreement, the two sides agreed to meet in Islamabad for talks to negotiate a lasting peace, which was seen as a resounding diplomatic victory for Pakistan.

However, critical questions remain about the ceasefire and the basis of the talks. While Iran and Pakistan have stated that the ceasefire includes Lebanon, the US and Israel have since insisted that it is a separate issue. Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said that any peace talks would be “meaningless” if they took place while bombs continued to fall on Lebanon.

According to Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh, Pakistan’s interventions to maintain the peace and protect the fragile ceasefire continued behind the scenes. Khatibzadeh claimed that Pakistan intervened to prevent Iran from retaliating against the attacks on Lebanon.

Ahead of the first round of talks in Islamabad, which will take place on Saturday, army personnel and paramilitary rangers have been deployed and security has been beefed up across the capital. A public holiday was declared on Thursday and Friday and the streets were very empty.

Pakistani officials remained tight-lipped about the arrangements for the negotiations, citing security and diplomatic concerns, but said preparations were full steam ahead.

“Our priority is for the talks to go smoothly,” said one official involved in the arrangements. “We do not want to be seen as a spoiler. Our role is as a facilitator and mediator. We will leave it to both sides, Iran and the US, to share any developments with the media if they wish.”

The official confirmed that the key delegations would arrive on Thursday evening and Friday morning. On the US side, the White House confirmed that their negotiating team will be led by Vice President JD Vance, with special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also traveling to Islamabad.

Iranian officials said their delegation would include Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, both of whom were part of the ceasefire negotiations. Senior figures from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard are also expected to attend.

Officials said delegations from Gulf countries, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which have been heavily bombed by Iran since the start of the war, will also travel to Islamabad and may take part in sideline talks.

Due to the high security risks involved, Pakistani officials have confirmed that there are three to four possible venues in the queue for the critical meeting between Iran and the US.

The most high-profile attendees are expected to stay in Islamabad’s exclusive five-star Serena Hotel, which may also play host to the talks. The hotel was cleared of its guests and the surrounding 3km of roads were closed to cars and placed under army control. Other possible locations cited by officials were the prime minister’s secretariat, Islamabad’s convention center or a secure military location.

Officials said there is no set timeline for how long the talks will last. However, guests who were evicted from the Serena Hotel on Wednesday have been informed the hotel will be occupied until Sunday evening.

In a meeting Thursday between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, who is credited with brokering the ceasefire, the two “expressed satisfaction over the de-escalation achieved so far.”