ISLAMABAD: Much of the Pakistani capital remained under a strict security lockdown for more than a week on Saturday, even as uncertainty remained over a proposed second round of talks between the United States and Iran.
The main road leading to Islamabad has been blocked, while the Red Zone, home to key government buildings and diplomatic missions, remains under a tight security cordon.
In the adjacent commercial “blue zone”, markets were deserted, cafes were in short supply, public transport was disrupted and bus terminals were unserviced, leaving commuters stranded.
For residents, uncertainty becomes the hardest part. Islamabad is a city with a high migrant population, with many residents working during the week and returning home on the weekends.
This is the second lockdown in recent weeks. Islamabad was earlier cordoned off on April 11 for talks between the US and Iranian delegations but failed to reach an agreement. The city briefly reopened before reimposing restrictions as Pakistan prepared to host another round of events, but that has yet to materialize.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived here on Friday night to engage with Pakistani leaders. He was received by senior officials, including Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Saeed Asim Munir, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
However, it is unclear whether direct talks will take place between Washington and Tehran during the visit.
“There are no plans to hold a meeting between Iran and the United States. Iran’s views will be conveyed to Pakistan,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Bakkai said in a social media post on Saturday.
He said the Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad “on an official visit” and that Araghchi would “meet senior Pakistani officials in conjunction with their ongoing mediation and good offices to end the US-imposed war of aggression and restore peace in our region.”
As the Iranian team arrived in Islamabad, White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt said U.S. special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkopf and President Donald Trump’s adviser Jared Kushner would travel to Pakistan on Saturday “for direct talks” with representatives of the Iranian delegation.
“Everyone will be on standby to fly to Pakistan if necessary, but first, Steve and Jared will go there to report to the president, vice president and the rest of the team,” she said.
However, Team USA has not arrived yet.
At the same time, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar posted on social media that he hoped the warring parties would have “meaningful contacts” to promote regional peace and stability.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi will meet with senior Pakistani leaders to discuss the latest developments in the region and continued efforts for regional peace and stability.
“The second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran is expected to take place in Islamabad on Saturday and Sunday following important discussions with a Pakistani mediation team,” a government official said.
He said US logistics and security teams have arrived in Islamabad to facilitate the negotiation process.
Before leaving for Islamabad, Araghchi said that he was beginning a visit to Islamabad, Muscat and Moscow in due course. The purpose of his visit was to “closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral affairs and consult on regional developments.”
“Our neighbors are our top priority,” he said.
The first round of US-Iran talks on April 11-12 failed to achieve a breakthrough, prompting host Pakistan to launch a series of diplomatic efforts to ease tensions and revive hopes for another round of dialogue.
On Tuesday, Trump indefinitely extended a two-week ceasefire with Iran to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The Iran war broke out on February 28 with attacks by the United States and Israel.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
