Islamabad, Apr 24 (PTI) An Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will reach Pakistan on Friday night to hold bilateral consultations, discuss the US-Iran ceasefire and the current developments in the region, officials and media reports said.
Araghchi will lead a small delegation to Pakistan, Oman, and Russia on Friday to “hold bilateral consultations and discuss current developments in the region, as well as the latest situation” in the US-Iran war, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported.
However, there was no clarity on whether Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Parliament Speaker who led the Iranian delegation in the first round of peace talks with the US in Pakistan early this month, would be part of the delegation or not.
A senior official of the Shehbaz Sharif government said that Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad with a small delegation.
“Following key discussions with the Pakistani mediation team, a second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran is expected to be held in Islamabad,” the official told PTI.
He said that a US logistics and security team is already present in Islamabad to facilitate the negotiation process.
The official said that once the Iranian delegation arrives here and works out the framework of talks with the US technical team, then the high-powered US delegation would likely arrive here on Saturday night.
“But this is subject to some kind of understanding reaching with Iran,” he said.
The development comes hours after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Araghchi spoke over the phone and exchanged views on the US-Iran ceasefire and Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic efforts.
During the call, both sides “exchanged views on regional developments, the ceasefire, and ongoing diplomatic efforts being pursued by Islamabad in the context of US-Iran engagement,” the Foreign Office said in a statement, without elaborating.
Dar underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and engagement to address outstanding issues to advance regional peace and stability at the earliest, it said.
Araghchi appreciated Pakistan’s consistent and constructive facilitation role in this regard, and both leaders agreed to remain in close contact, it added.
Iranian media reported that Araghchi also spoke with Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Friday. However, there was no confirmation from the Pakistani side.
The first round of US-Iran talks held on April 11 and 12 failed to produce a breakthrough, prompting a flurry of diplomatic efforts by host Pakistan to cool tensions and revive hopes for another round of dialogue.
On Friday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth repeated US President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy any Iranian fast boats that attempt to put mines in the water or disrupt passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Separately, the US Central Command said that the US forces have directed 34 vessels to turn around or return to port since the start of the blockade against Iran.
“For the first time in decades, three aircraft carriers are operating in the Middle East at the same time. Accompanied by their carrier air wings, the USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Gerald R. Ford and USS George H.W. Bush include over 200 aircraft and 15,000 Sailors and Marines,” it said in a post on X.
On Tuesday, Trump had extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
This week, Pakistan stepped up diplomatic engagements to bring America and Iran to the negotiating table for the second round of talks.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held an “important meeting” with US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker on Thursday during which they exchanged detailed views on the latest regional situation and discussed diplomatic efforts related to the proposed second round of peace talks, the interior ministry said in a statement.
The meeting, the second between the two this week, took place amid uncertainty over the US-Iran talks, with Islamabad under tight security for the proposed engagement.
In a social media post, Trump on Thursday said that the US has total control over the Strait of Hormuz, and no ship can enter or leave without its approval. “It is “Sealed up Tight,” until such time as Iran is able to make a DEAL,” he said.
Trump also claimed that Iran is having a “very hard time” figuring out who their leader is. “They just don’t know! The infighting is between the “Hardliners,” who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the “Moderates,” who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is CRAZY!” he said in a separate post.
Responding to Trump’s comments, both Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf issued identical posts, saying there are no “hardliners” or “moderates” in Iran.
“We are all Iranians and revolutionaries. With ironclad unity of nation and state and obedience to the Supreme Leader, we will make the aggressor regret. One God, one nation, one leader, one path; victory for Iran, dearer than life,” they said in separate posts on X, which were re-posted by Araghchi.
Earlier, Trump shared a post by a conservative commentator, calling for the assassination of Iranian officials who oppose diplomacy with the US.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei lashed out at Trump for sharing the post, saying the US, which once presented itself as a cradle of democracy, freedom, and human values, “now appears to become a promoter of terrorism, murder, and mass violence.” “What should one call this, if not a profound moral failure?” he asked.
There is still no official word on the start of the talks between Iran and the US, even as strict monitoring of roads leading to Islamabad indicates that preparations for the proposed talks are underway.
The administrations of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi had closed all major roads and markets in VVIP movement areas on Sunday amid indications that the talks could begin any day during the week. More than 10,000 security personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order.
Streets, link roads, markets and banks around the old airport remained closed during the last five consecutive days, confining residents of Shah Faisal Colony, Khalid Colony, Gulzar-e-Quaid, Fazal Town, among other areas, to their homes.
The Metro Bus Service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, and electric buses on seven routes have been suspended, while goods transport has remained halted since April 19, causing inconvenience to the public.
The Red Zone remained closed, with employees of offices in the area working from home.
Movement of heavy traffic has been partly allowed in some parts of Rawalpindi, but Islamabad remains off-limits for trucks and buses.
On Wednesday, The New York Post quoted President Trump as saying that the second round of the US-Iran talks could take place as early as Friday.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region. PTI MZ/ZH SH ZH ZH
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