The Pakistani capital woke up today transformed. Roads leading into Islamabad’s Red Zone — the district housing the government buildings, embassies, and the Serena Hotel that will host the talks — are blocked by shipping containers. Armed soldiers stand guard at key entry points. Luxury hotels have been quietly evacuated. A two-day public holiday has been declared for the city.
Vice President JD Vance has arrived. Iran’s delegation is expected. And the clock on the two-week ceasefire, which expires on April 22, is running.
The Scene on the Ground
Roads blocked by shipping containers, armed soldiers out on patrol, and luxury hotels quietly asking guests to vacate: Islamabad has transformed into a security fortress as officials prepare for high-stakes peace talks between the US and Iran. US President Donald Trump is dispatching Vice President JD Vance, along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to the city to meet with Iranian officials on Saturday.
The negotiations are set to begin in Islamabad after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally invited both sides to pursue talks toward a full settlement of the war. The White House confirmed formal discussions would start on Saturday morning local time.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said on April 8 that talks could continue for up to 15 days — suggesting the possibility that at least some members of the delegations may stay in Islamabad beyond Saturday, or return for subsequent rounds. Islamabad’s Serena Hotel, located next to the foreign ministry in the capital’s Red Zone, has been requisitioned from Wednesday evening through Sunday, with guests asked to vacate.
Why This Moment Is Historic
This is the highest level meeting between the US and Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution. It marks a crucial tipping point that could lead to a durable peace framework — or to the resumption and escalation of the war if the high-stakes talks fail.
The significance of the occasion extends beyond the immediate ceasefire. For 46 years, direct official contact between the two governments has been essentially impossible — a product of the Islamic Revolution, the hostage crisis, decades of sanctions, and mutual hostility that have made even informal contact politically radioactive in both capitals. The men entering the Serena Hotel today are doing something without precedent in the lifetimes of most people now alive.
Who Is at the Table
The White House confirmed that US Vice President JD Vance will lead the American delegation, joined by President Donald Trump’s top envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to lead the Iranian delegation.
It remains unclear whether any representative from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — which has been leading Tehran’s military response — will attend. Ghalibaf himself is a former IRGC commander.
The choice of Ghalibaf is significant. He is described as a figure long seen as a protégé of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a fierce disciple of the Islamic Republic’s theocratic system, and someone who, at the start of the war, addressed Trump and Netanyahu and promised “such devastating blows that you will be begging.” His presence at the table in Islamabad today represents one of the most striking reversals of the entire conflict.
The Agenda
Washington’s 15-point proposal centres on Iran’s enriched uranium, ballistic missiles, sanctions relief, and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Uranium enrichment is Trump’s declared red line. Iran’s 10-point proposal calls for Iranian oversight of the Strait, the withdrawal of US combat forces from the Middle East, and a halt to military operations against allied armed groups. The negotiations have a strict deadline as the temporary ceasefire expires on April 22.
By April 9, there was no sign that the agreement to lift the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz was being fully implemented, with ships again being prevented from moving through the strait and Israel and the United States being accused of violating the ceasefire through the continuing attacks on Lebanon. However, no new attacks were reported in the Gulf on April 9 either.
The Red Lines Going In
Public comments from officials indicate multiple areas where Iran and the US don’t appear to be aligned as the talks begin. Iran’s 10-point proposal, as publicly released by the Iranian government, includes an acceptance of Iran’s right to enrichment. White House press secretary Leavitt called Iran’s enriched uranium “a red line that the President is not going to back away from.”
Iran’s parliament speaker Ghalibaf said before arriving that the US and Israel had already violated the ceasefire in three ways, writing on X: “From the outset, we followed the ongoing process with distrust, and as expected, the United States once again violated its commitments even before negotiations began.” He nonetheless arrived in Islamabad, suggesting that Iran’s leadership, despite its rhetoric, sees value in the talks.
What Pakistan Is Hoping For
Vance’s visit marks a rare and significant level of US engagement in Islamabad — it is rare for a vice president to visit a country where the US doesn’t even have an ambassador. Pakistan has staked significant diplomatic capital on the success of these talks, and Prime Minister Sharif has made clear that his goal is not just a temporary pause but a long-term solution.
The world is watching a room in Islamabad. What is said inside it today will shape the next chapter of the most consequential geopolitical crisis in years.
