ISLAMABAD: Major arteries around a high-security area in Pakistan’s capital are being reopened for traffic today, Monday, after talks expected to take place in Islamabad between high-ranking officials of the US and Iran did not take place.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi left Islamabad for Russia on Saturday night, after meeting Pakistani officials in Islamabad twice since Friday. A US delegation comprising envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner was expected to arrive in Islamabad last week for peace talks. However, Trump canceled the delegation’s visit, saying Iran’s peace offer was “not enough.”
Pakistan had taken stringent security measures ahead of the expected second round of talks. Major roads leading to the Serena Hotel, where the first round of talks between the US and Iran delegations were held on Apr. 11, were closed. Major arteries around the capital’s high-security “Red Zone” area, which houses top government buildings, were also closed for over a week.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Sunday night that traffic restrictions around the Serena Hotel— where the first round of US-Iran talks were held— -and the Red Zone in Islamabad would end “today.”
“Your support enables us to ensure the safety of our guests and to continue our efforts for peace in the region,” Dar wrote on social media platform X. “We remain committed to these goals and are grateful for, and in need of, your continued prayers and well wishes.”
The Serena Hotel, which had announced on Apr. 19 that it had been requisitioned by the government for the US-Iran peace talks, said in a message that it was open for guests once again.
“Our doors are open again, and we look forward to hosting you with warmth and excellence of Islamabad Serena Hotel,” it said.
Muhammad Ilyas, a 44-year-old resident of Islamabad, noted that the recent visit of the Iranian delegation was a “fruitful” one. However, he said the public had faced a lot of difficulties due to the security measures.
“There is a significant amount of business in the Blue Area worth hundreds of millions, and daily losses are being incurred, especially by retailers,” he told AFP. “Now that the talks have been canceled here, at least we have one benefit: our business will continue. I have personally come here to purchase, but the shops are still closed.”
Asif Khan, a 25-year-old Islamabad resident, described Pakistan’s efforts to broker peace as a “positive development.”
“Whether it happens (US-Iran talks) in Pakistan or in another country, we hope matters are resolved as soon as possible so that prosperity is established worldwide, and no one has to face hardship,” Khan told AFP.
