High-level talks between Iran and the United States are scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, in an effort to reduce rising tensions in West Asia. Senior delegations from both countries have already arrived in the city for what is being described as a historic dialogue.
Ahead of the meeting, multiple roads leading to Islamabad’s Red Zone have been closed. The area houses key government institutions including the Presidency, Prime Minister’s Office, and several ministries.
The talks come during a two-week diplomatic window announced on Tuesday following more than a month of reported joint US–Israeli military operations inside Iran. The dialogue is also said to be taking place six weeks after the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in coordinated strikes.
The ongoing conflict has reportedly killed thousands of people, disrupted one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, and sent global energy prices soaring.
The Iranian delegation is led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Upon arrival, Ghalibaf remarked that while Iran may hold goodwill toward the US, it does not trust Washington.
Iran’s delegation traveled aboard an aircraft named “Minab 168,” referencing a missile attack on a girls’ school in Minab on February 28 that reportedly killed 168 people, mostly children. Iran has accused US forces of responsibility for that strike. Ghalibaf shared images on social media showing photos and school bags placed on the aircraft seats in remembrance of the victims.
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