By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Vice President JD Vance departed on Friday for Islamabad, leading an American delegation to direct negotiations with Iranian officials in a bid to convert a fragile two-week ceasefire into a more durable accord.
The talks, scheduled to open Saturday in the Pakistani capital, come after a US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began Feb. 28 and was paused this week following an appeal by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan has cast itself as the central intermediary between Washington and Tehran, and its diplomatic intervention produced the temporary halt in hostilities.
Before boarding his flight at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Vance told reporters he was optimistic about the coming sessions and that President Donald Trump had given him “some pretty clear guidelines” for the discussions. “As the US president said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand,” Vance said. “If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive.”
The American side will include special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the White House confirmed earlier this week. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran will participate in the Pakistan-brokered talks aimed at reaching “a peaceful settlement to the conflict.”
Deep differences remain, however. Since the ceasefire took effect, Trump has publicly complained that Iran has not lived up to commitments to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic, while Iranian officials have protested Israeli strikes in Lebanon, insisting those actions violate the truce. Official sources familiar with the agenda said the Islamabad sessions are expected to address Iran’s nuclear enrichment program and the free flow of trade through the strategic waterway.
Iranian officials have continued to voice reservations. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran’s participation depended on Washington upholding the ceasefire “on all fronts, especially in Lebanon.” Some Iranian voices described the Israeli actions there as having rendered the talks “meaningless.” Nevertheless, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards signaled continued adherence to the truce, telling state television they had “not launched anything at any country.”
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said earlier this week that the Islamabad meeting would mark the “first round” of negotiations. Vance, speaking before departure, struck a note of cautious hope: “We’re going to try to have a positive negotiation.”
Pakistan has moved swiftly to accommodate the delegations. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that airlines had been instructed to allow visa-free boarding for all participants traveling for the talks. Immigration authorities will issue visas on arrival, Dar said in a post on X. The visa-free arrangement applies only to delegates and journalists from the United States and Iran for the duration of the negotiations; third-country nationals are excluded, Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi clarified.
Security preparations in Islamabad have been extensive. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who reviewed arrangements in a meeting Friday, described hosting the talks as “an honor for Pakistan” and ordered officials to take “all possible measures to extend hospitality” while guaranteeing the visitors’ safety. A control room has been set up inside the Interior Ministry, and the Red Zone — the high-security district that includes government buildings and the expected venue, the Serena Hotel — will remain completely sealed except to authorized personnel.
More than 10,000 police and security personnel have been deployed across the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with the military supervising a multi-tiered operation that includes paramilitary Rangers and local police forces. Army and Ranger units are guarding the Red Zone and high-security areas, with troops posted at key buildings and in the Margalla Hills. All entry points to the Red Zone are closed except Margalla Road, which is restricted to authorized officials and residents.
Separate secure routes have been designated for the delegations’ travel from the airport to their accommodations, with police and security personnel lining both sides and “blue book” VIP protocol in effect. Islamabad police issued a traffic advisory Friday announcing diversions on Srinagar Highway and the Expressway, urging commuters to avoid unnecessary travel and to use alternate routes. Entry to the Red Zone is limited to official vehicles, and strict checks are under way at city entry and exit points. Updates are being disseminated via the Islamabad Traffic Police’s WhatsApp channel, social media and ITP FM 92.4.A two-day holiday was declared for Islamabad and Rawalpindi on April 9 and 10; authorities in Punjab extended the closure in Rawalpindi through April 11 to bolster security around the delegations.
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