ISLAMABAD: Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad tonight, two official sources said on Friday, shortly after Pakistan stepped up security across its capital and the Iranian minister held a phone call with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar amid hopes for another round of talks between Washington and Tehran.
Islamabad is pushing for the resumption of negotiations after hosting initial talks on Apr. 11 that ended without agreement, but the expected visit signals potential progress even as uncertainty has persisted over Tehran’s participation.
The diplomatic efforts follow a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran announced earlier this month after weeks of conflict, creating a window for negotiations that Pakistan has sought to facilitate.
“Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad tonight with a small delegation,” a senior official source privy to the matter told Arab News on condition of anonymity.
“Following important discussions with the Pakistani mediation team, a second round of Islamabad peace talks between the United States and Iran is expected,” he added. “A US logistics and security team is already present in Islamabad to facilitate the negotiation process.”
A second Pakistani government source also confirmed the development.
In his earlier conversation with the Iranian foreign minister, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Dar discussed regional developments, the ceasefire, and Islamabad’s efforts in the context of US-Iran engagement.
“DPM/FM underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and engagement to address outstanding issues, in order to advance regional peace and stability at the earliest,” the Pakistani foreign office said, adding that Araghchi appreciated Pakistan’s efforts and both leaders agreed to remain in close contact.
Besides Dar, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported, Araghchi also held a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on “regional developments and issues related to the ceasefire.”
Meanwhile, police launched large-scale search operations across multiple sectors of Islamabad, checking homes, hotels, shops and vehicles ahead of possible talks.
“Foolproof security arrangements are in place in the federal capital,” Islamabad police said in a statement, adding that joint search operations were underway across the city on the instructions of the police chief.
The statement said officers checked more than 200 households, dozens of hotels and shops, and inspected hundreds of vehicles, while 37 people were taken in for questioning.
Security has also remained tight around the Serena Hotel, widely seen as the likely venue for any potential meeting. A hotel official said there had been no relaxation in security, with law enforcement agencies continuing to control access.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran following weeks of conflict and a fragile ceasefire first announced on Apr. 8 and later extended by US President Donald Trump this week.
The ceasefire followed a 40-day war that began on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks. The fighting raised fears of a broader war in the Middle East and disrupted global energy markets.
Tensions have since centered on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.
Iran has restricted shipping through the strait in response to US attacks, disrupting energy flows and raising concerns about global supply and prices.
Despite extending the ceasefire, Washington has continued its naval blockade of Iranian ports, underscoring the fragile nature of the truce.
