Pakistan begins preparations for 2nd round of US-Iran talks: sources

Pakistan has begun preparations for a likely second round of talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad to end a war that has crippled energy supplies and daily lives in the wider Middle East region, two government sources privy to developments told Anadolu on Wednesday. Pakistan took centre stage when it brokered a 14-day ceasefire between the US and Iran, followed by high-stakes talks in Islamabad attended by senior delegations from the two countries. Although the talks did not yield the desired results, the ceasefire remains intact, and speculation about a second round of negotiations continues to grow. "Preparations already started yesterday (Tuesday), particularly to ensure foolproof security arrangements," the sources said. President Donald Trump on Tuesday struck an upbeat tone on the prospects for the resumption of direct US-Iranian talks, saying they could restart in Pakistan within the next two days. However, the timelines are unlikely to meet. “Something could be happening over the next two days, and we're more inclined to go there,” Trump said, referring to likely talks with Iran and Pakistan as a venue. However, sources in Islamabad said the much-anticipated meeting is expected to begin by the end of this week or early next week. They added that the luxury hotel, which hosted the first round of Islamabad Talks, “will once again host the foreign guests". Pakistan hosted US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf-led delegations over the weekend for the highest-level direct talks between Washington and Tehran since 1979. The Pakistani sources said Vance and Ghalibaf are likely to lead their delegations in the expected second round of talks. The negotiations, dubbed Islamabad Talks, concluded inconclusively on Sunday. Pakistani sources added the possibility of low-level talks between US and Iranian officials before “paving the way for the high-level meeting”. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar are currently out of the country due to their regional tour until Saturday. “Therefore, the chances of a high-level meeting this week are unlikely," a source said, referring to PM Shehbaz's visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East. Pakistan hosted talks after securing a two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran on April 8, which is still holding. The joint US-Israeli war with Iran left some 3,300 people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced in Iran, while 13 US servicemen were killed and hundreds of others wounded in the 39-day war since February 28.