Round 2 talks likely tomorrow JD Vance leaves for Pakistan today Iran still to make final call Trump c
Security personnel stand guard at the Zero Point bridge in the federal capital amid increased surveillance ahead of the second round of talks between the United States and Iran. PHOTO: ONLINE
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan has set the stage for a second round of high-stakes negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad, likely to take place just hours before a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire expires on Wednesday.
Despite lingering uncertainty surrounding ‘Islamabad Round 2’ due to Iran’s reluctance to formally confirm its participation, a US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance will travel to the federal capital along with senior officials.
There was some ambiguity over Vance’s whereabouts, with President Donald Trump telling the New York Post that Vance was already en route to Islamabad, but White House officials said the vice president would depart on Tuesday and talks were expected on Wednesday.
While there was confusion about the exact time of their arrival, there was certainty that the American delegation would come. Iran, however, has maintained public suspense, even though events on the ground in Islamabad suggest a different trajectory.
Even hours after the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tehran had not yet decided whether to join the talks, a US military plane was seen landing at Nur Khan air base, indicating that preparations were moving forward regardless of the public stance.
Iran has accused the United States of not adhering to the terms of the ceasefire and has urged Washington to end its naval blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz before entering into negotiations.
“Delivering on commitments is the foundation of meaningful dialogue. Deep historical distrust persists in Iran toward the conduct of the U.S. government, while unconstructive and contradictory signals from U.S. officials send a bitter message: they seek Iran’s surrender. Iranians do not submit to force,” Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian wrote in X.
Pakistani officials kept their mouths shut, but privately acknowledged that much of the uncertainty arose from the “posturing” of both sides before the talks. Diplomatic sources said secondary contacts between Washington and Tehran remained active.
According to a report by a British news agency, Field Marshal Asim Munir established contact with President Trump. During the conversation, according to the report, he emphasized that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz was impeding diplomatic progress.
Trump, however, insists that the blockade continue. “THE BLOCKADE, which we will not lift until there is an ‘Agreement’, is absolutely destroying Iran. They are losing $500 million a day, an unsustainable figure, even in the short term,” he posted on Truth Social.
“The Iranian leadership has forced hundreds of ships into the United States, primarily Texas, Louisiana and Alaska, to obtain its oil,” he wrote in a separate post.
Trump praised U.S. forces, stating that “our military has been incredible,” but sharply criticized major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, arguing that their reporting creates a misleading impression that the United States is losing.
He claimed that the opposing side had suffered heavy losses and stated that “their former leaders are practically gone”, describing the situation as tantamount to a “regime change”. He also said that “the fake news media is rooting for Iran to win,” but such efforts would fail because “I’m in charge!”
Officials in Islamabad warn that the situation remains unstable amid heated rhetoric from both Washington and Tehran. According to people familiar with the plans, Vice President Vance is expected to leave Washington on Tuesday (today).
The second round of negotiations is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday (tomorrow), they said, although the White House has not formally confirmed the timing but has indicated that the delegation is expected to travel soon.
Meanwhile, Iranian and US envoys held separate meetings with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Islamabad police officials to finalize security arrangements, underlining Islamabad’s willingness to host the high-stakes dialogue.
The officials indicated that preparations for the talks have entered their final phase and that American advance teams continue to arrive ahead of formal negotiations. Between Sunday and Monday night, 11 planes carrying personnel, vehicles and operational equipment landed.
Sources said the arrival of the advance teams has already been largely completed, while the main delegations are expected to arrive on Tuesday. They added that Iranian delegations could also arrive in Islamabad on Tuesday night.
Sources noted that the arrangements for Round 2 closely mirror those made during the previous phase, adding that security in the twin cities has been significantly beefed up, with more than 18,000 federal police and other agencies deployed.
The urgency of the talks is heightened by the imminent expiration of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, brokered by Pakistan on April 7. The truce will expire on Tuesday afternoon Washington time, corresponding to Wednesday morning in Iran.
President Trump has offered mixed signals about whether the ceasefire will be extended. At one point, he warned that “if there is no deal, fighting will resume,” while in other comments he suggested an extension was possible if necessary.
(With contributions from our correspondent in Rawalpindi)
