Pakistan’s capital is under strict lockdown as Islamabad prepares to host what could be decisive negotiations between Iran and the United States. The talks, due to take place over the weekend, are being framed as a possible turning point in a war that has already caused widespread destruction across the Middle East.
But the diplomatic effort is unfolding against a highly unstable backdrop. The US-Iran ceasefire now appears increasingly fragile, with fresh disputes over the terms of the discussions and continued Israeli bombardment of Lebanon adding to the pressure on the process.
On Friday, the situation was further complicated by remarks from Donald Trump, who cast doubt on the ceasefire’s durability because of the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to US media, Trump said he had asked Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be more “low-key” in Lebanon.
At the same time, Israel and Hezbollah continued to trade strikes, underscoring how far the region remains from a lasting calm. Netanyahu, for his part, said there is no ceasefire in Lebanon as Israel launched fresh strikes.
Talks in Islamabad go ahead despite mounting uncertainty
Pakistani officials are insisting that the Iran-US negotiations will proceed as planned, even as questions grow over whether the political and military conditions around them are stable enough to support meaningful progress.
The choice of Islamabad as the venue has added significance, with the city now at the centre of a high-stakes diplomatic effort intended to bring an end to a conflict that has destabilised the region. Security measures have been tightened sharply, with the capital placed under strict lockdown as it prepares for the arrival of negotiators.
The weekend meeting is being watched closely because of what is at stake. The talks have raised the possibility of easing a war that has battered multiple countries and widened existing regional fault lines. But the continued fighting in Lebanon and disagreement over how the ceasefire should function are making the outlook more uncertain by the hour.
For now, the ceasefire appears to be holding only in the narrowest sense, and even that is in doubt. Trump’s comments added another layer of ambiguity, suggesting concern in Washington about whether the arrangement can survive if key strategic routes remain shut.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to those concerns. Its closure has become a major point of contention, and Trump’s remarks indicated that this issue is shaping how he views the chances of the ceasefire lasting.
Regional violence continues despite diplomatic push
In Lebanon, the exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah has continued, reinforcing the sense that diplomacy and conflict are moving in parallel rather than in sequence. Israeli strikes have not stopped, and the situation on the ground remains volatile.
Netanyahu’s statement that there is no ceasefire in Lebanon signals that Israel does not consider the situation resolved, despite the broader diplomatic track involving Iran and the United States. The fresh strikes also suggest that any political momentum generated by the planned talks may be hard to sustain unless the fighting eases.
As the weekend approaches, the negotiations in Islamabad now carry even more weight. They are no longer just about ending a war, but about whether a diplomatic process can survive while combat continues elsewhere in the region.
For Pakistan, hosting the talks means placing itself at the centre of one of the most consequential diplomatic efforts in recent memory. For the parties involved, the challenge will be to show that a ceasefire can still hold even as the wider conflict remains active and the risks of escalation continue.
With Israel and Hezbollah still exchanging strikes, Lebanon under renewed attack, and the status of the Strait of Hormuz unresolved, the road to any durable agreement looks far from straightforward.
