US, Iran likely to hold second round of talks in Islamabad next week

US and Iranian teams are likely to hold a second round of talks involving their technical-level delegations in Pakistan’s capital as early as Monday, Pakistani government sources told Anadolu on Saturday.

Sources said that the technical-level teams of both sides are expected to meet in Islamabad for the next round of talks “most probably on Monday” in order to finalize a negotiated settlement of the weeks-long conflict between the US and Iran, which has crippled global energy supplies and disrupted daily life across the wider Middle East, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu.

“Once they reach a draft, President (Donald) Trump, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and some other important heads of states will air dash to the capital (Islamabad) to sign the deal,” a source said, referring to multiple reports that alongside Trump and Pezeshkian, leaders of several other regional countries are also expected to attend the signing ceremony.

Negotiators from the two sides are continuing to exchange messages through Pakistan following the conclusion of the first round of talks held on April 11–12 in Islamabad, aiming to reach a “maximum understanding” before the start of the next phase of the much-anticipated negotiations, sources added.

Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen. Asif Munir held in-person talks with Iranian civil and military leadership this week in Tehran, during which Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz open for commercial ships.

Trump said on Thursday that if an agreement is reached with Iran, he may travel to Islamabad for the signing of the deal.

“I would go to Pakistan, yeah. Pakistan has been great ...” he told reporters. “If the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go.”

A Pakistani government official told Anadolu, on condition of anonymity, that logistical arrangements have already begun for the arrival of US and Iranian delegations, as well as media personnel who will cover the event.

On Friday, US media reported that talks are expected to take place on Monday in Islamabad.

There has been no official announcement from any of the sides regarding the timeframe for the next round of talks.

Iranian sources familiar with the negotiations said that negotiators from both sides are expected to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday, according to CNN.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday declared the Strait of Hormuz “completely open” for all commercial vessels. He said the decision was made “in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon,” in a post on the US social media platform X.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev