Islamabad: 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 Friday.
The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Pakistan over the weekend aimed at ending their conflict, but the talks ended early Sunday without any agreement.
Official sources in Pakistan 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.
After working behind the scenes, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a tri-nation tour Wednesday, while Field Marshal Asim Munir landed in Tehran on the same day.
The Prime Minister, after discussion with the Saudi and Qatari leaders, reached Turkiye Thursday night as the Field Marshal spent more than 24 hours in Iran meeting its political and military leaders.
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 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.
US Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said the talks failed to reach a deal, citing Tehran not forgoing its nuclear programme as one of the key sticking points.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation in marathon peace talks, said that his team raised “forward-looking initiatives, but the opposite side ultimately failed to win the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations.”
The conflict began after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, paralysing global energy markets and disrupting trade.
The ceasefire between the US and Iran would expire April 22.
The chances of a peace deal got further support when President Donald Trump told reporters Thursday that he may travel to Islamabad if a final agreement with Iran is signed there, while claiming that Tehran has accepted “almost everything” currently under negotiation.
“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.
PTI
