Pakistan Prepares Next US-Iran Talks Amid Ceasefire

Pakistan has started preparing to host the second round of high-stakes talks between the US and Iran during the next week for a landmark peace deal to end the war in West Asia that has crippled global energy supplies, officials said on Friday.

Over the weekend, the US and Iran had rare direct negotiations in Pakistan to end the war; however, the talks ended early on Sunday without reaching a consensus.

Official sources in Pakistan on Friday said that a feverish diplomatic activity followed to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. It was met with success as both continue to observe the temporary two-week ceasefire, allowing Pakistan to relaunch its mediatory push.

Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Wednesday, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif began a tri-nation visit after working behind the scenes.

Following talks with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the Prime Minister arrived in Turkiye on Thursday night, while the Field Marshal met with Iran's political and military officials for over twenty-four hours.

Though nothing has been officially said about the outcome of talks between the Pakistani civil and military leaders, security officials back home suddenly became active on Thursday evening, authorities said.

According to officials in Islamabad, "preparations have started in Islamabad and neighbouring Rawalpindi as thousands of police and paramilitary personnel have started coming from other provinces." Traditionally, the Islamabad administration seeks support from provinces to help in the work of law enforcement in case mega security arrangements are needed.

During the first round of talks, more than 10,000 security personnel were deployed.

There are also reports that transport companies have been approached by the Islamabad and Rawalpindi districts officials to inform them that traffic coming from other cities or leaving the twin cities may face drastic restrictions.

According to a message shared on social media, such restrictions, once imposed, may continue until the end of next week. It urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel during the next week or plan well in advance.

Similarly, educational institutions may be closed in the two cities along with markets in areas close to the airport to reduce traffic on roads, officials said.

The American delegation's leader, US Vice President JD Vance, stated that Tehran's refusal to abandon its nuclear program was one of the main issues that prevented the negotiations from coming to an agreement.

The Iranian delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who stated that although his team presented "forward-looking initiatives, the opposite side ultimately failed to win the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations." On February 28, the US and Israel attacked Iran, paralysing the world's energy markets and upsetting trade, sparking the start of the conflict.

On April 22, the US-Iran ceasefire would come to an end.

President Donald Trump's statement to reporters on Thursday that he would visit Islamabad if a final agreement with Iran is struck there, while asserting that Tehran has accepted "almost everything" now under negotiation, increased the likelihood of a peace agreement.

“If a deal is signed in Islamabad, I may go...They want me,” he told the reporters on the White House lawn before departing for Nevada and Arizona.

Trump expressed optimism about Pakistan-led diplomatic efforts to end hostilities and secure a settlement before the current ceasefire expires, indicating that he would extend it, although he suggested such a move might not be necessary if a deal is reached in time.

The US leader has repeatedly praised Pakistan and its leaders, Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir, as “extraordinary, kind and very competent”, has once again shown his ability to swing the global conversation with a single statement.