ISLAMABAD: Authorities in the federal capital have intensified preparations for a possible second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran, with extensive security and logistical measures underway despite no official date being announced.
In addition to the negotiating teams, several global leaders are expected to attend a potential agreement-signing ceremony. These include US President Donald Trump, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Sources say the final date for the talks in Islamabad has yet to be confirmed, though there is a strong possibility they could take place by the end of next week. To ensure security, assistance from the Punjab Police will also be sought.
However, according to CNN, the next round of negotiations is expected to be held in Islamabad on Monday. The broadcaster, citing Iranian sources familiar with the matter, reported that the delegations are likely to arrive in the capital on Sunday.
Special directives have been issued by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Office to Chief Commissioner and Chairman CDA Sohail Ashraf and Inspector General of Police Ali Nasir Rizvi.Preparatory work is ongoing along the VVIP route from Nur Khan Airbase to the Prime Minister’s House.
This includes lane marking and patchwork on Express Highway, Murree Road, and Shahrah-e-Dastoor.Curbstones are being painted, while the CDA’s Environment Wing is carrying out landscaping. Decorative plants are being installed along the route, and cleanliness operations are in full swing.
The Municipal Administration Directorate has been instructed to prepare flags of visiting countries, and Islamabad will be adorned with welcome banners for the occasion. Offices within the Red Zone will remain closed, and traffic will be diverted to alternate routes during the talks.
Earlier, on Thursday, Trump said that if a deal to end the conflict with Iran is finalised and signed in Islamabad, he might attend, adding that Iran has agreed to nearly all terms.“Pakistan has been great. I might go if the deal is signed in Islamabad.
The Field Marshal (Asim Munir) has been great. The prime minister (Shehbaz Sharif) has been really great in Pakistan. So I might go,” Trump said.
The previous round of talks in Islamabad, held three days after last Wednesday’s ceasefire announcement, marked the first direct engagement between American and Iranian officials in over a decade and the highest-level contact since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf led their respective delegations during the earlier meeting. Discussions focused on multiple key issues, including the Strait of Hormuz—a vital global energy transit route currently affected by tensions—as well as Iran’s nuclear programme and international sanctions imposed on Tehran.
The trilateral “Islamabad Talks” continued for nearly 21 hours after commencing on the afternoon of April 11, underscoring the complexity and high stakes involved.Despite extensive negotiations, the first round concluded without a formal agreement.
However, officials in Islamabad viewed it as a crucial step toward establishing direct communication channels between Washington and Tehran.