WNAM MONITORING: At least two US planes carrying “advanced delegates” landed in Islamabad on Sunday, ahead of a possible second round of high-stakes talks with the Iranian side, multiple Pakistani sources familiar with the developments told.
The planes landed in Islamabad before the delegates moved to a five-star hotel, at least three sources said.
The arrival of the US team came as the Pakistani government on Sunday put the capital Islamabad, and adjoining garrison city of Rawalpindi, under a security lockdown, giving credence to reports that a second round of the high-stakes US-Iran talks is set to take place.
Authorities closed all link roads leading to the five-star hotel that hosted the first round of talks on April 11 and 12, and is expected to host the second round of talks as well.
“Due to the arrival of foreign delegations in Islamabad, Red Zone and Extended Red Zone will remain completely closed for all kinds of traffic,” Islamabad police said in a statement on X.
The capital administration also ordered suspension of public and heavy transport to and from Islamabad “until further orders,” in addition to closure of universities and colleges until April 26, according to an official notification.
Authorities asked the students to also vacate the university hostels immediately.
Another five-star hotel, which is expected to be used for accommodation of the visiting officials of the two delegations in Islamabad, has also been vacated, according to Pakistani government sources.
Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel have been deputed for security across the capital.
The second round of talks is likely to involve technical-level teams from the US and Iranian sides, sources had said earlier.
Pakistan hosted the highest-level engagement between the US and Iran on April 11 and 12, the first since 1979 when they broke diplomatic ties, but the talks remained inconclusive.
The negotiations were held after Pakistan mediated between the warring parties since the war began on Feb. 28, and secured a 14-day ceasefire on April 08.
Pakistan government sources said that the technical-level teams are expected to meet in Islamabad “most probably on Monday” to finalize an agreement between the two sides.
The possible second round comes after Pakistan army chief Gen. Asim Munir met with the civil and military leadership of Iran in Tehran early this week.
US President Donald Trump reportedly spoke to Munir and Iranian negotiators while the Pakistani top general was in Tehran.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Sunday confirmed that Tehran and Washington had made progress in negotiations.
“We have reached conclusions on some issues, but there are still major gaps on others, and we are far from a final agreement,” he said.
Besides Qalibaf, Munir met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as well as Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam ul Anbiya headquarters, during his three-day trip, which began on Wednesday.
During Munir’s trip to Tehran, Iran declared the key waterway open but closed it again on Saturday after Trump declared the US blockade of Iranian ports would continue.
