Pakistan’s capital was placed under strict lockdown on Friday as Islamabad prepared to host what could be pivotal talks between Iran and the United States. The negotiations, expected to take place on Saturday, are being billed as a possible step toward ending a war that has already caused widespread devastation across the Middle East.
Vice-president JD Vance is leading the US delegation to Pakistan, where officials say the discussions are still set to go ahead despite rising uncertainty around the broader ceasefire effort. The talks are expected to be closely watched after a week of escalating tensions and competing claims about whether the truce can hold.
The mood remained fragile as Israel continued its bombardment of Lebanon. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no ceasefire in Lebanon, underscoring the gap between official statements and events on the ground. Fresh strikes in Lebanon added to doubts about whether the wider diplomatic process could make meaningful progress.
Pakistani authorities have moved quickly to secure the capital ahead of the meetings. Streets in Islamabad were heavily restricted as the city prepared for the arrival of the delegations. Officials in Pakistan, meanwhile, have insisted that the peace negotiations will proceed over the weekend as planned.
The talks come at a moment when the US-Iran ceasefire is looking increasingly precarious. Disagreements over the terms of the negotiations have added to the pressure, while the continued fighting in Lebanon has only sharpened concerns that the opportunity for de-escalation could slip away.
For Pakistan, hosting the meetings marks a significant diplomatic moment. The country has found itself at the center of efforts to bring the parties together, with Islamabad serving as the venue for discussions that carry high stakes for the region.
The outcome of the weekend talks remains uncertain, but the expectation in Islamabad is that both sides will still meet. The next round of diplomacy is being treated as a potential turning point, even as events elsewhere in the region continue to move in the opposite direction.
With the capital under tight security and the wider conflict still active, the negotiations are set against a backdrop of urgency and mistrust. Whether the talks can produce movement toward a lasting ceasefire will become clearer in the days ahead.
