Live updates: Follow the latest news on the Iran war
Barricades rose, and a hastily declared two-day public holiday cleared the streets of Islamabad, leaving the city known for its unhurried rhythm and quiet lifestyle, suddenly at the centre of global attention.
The Pakistani capital is gearing up to host the world's most consequential talks, between the US and Iran, and is leaving nothing to chance, from reported aerial escorts for the Iranian delegation's plane to a heavily guarded luxury hotel.
A three-kilometre "red zone" was thrown up around the Serena Hotel, the city's most ornate property, and all guests were asked to vacate to make room for two delegations arriving from opposite ends of a war that has devastated cities and economies across borders.
On Friday, the weight of the Pakistani-brokered ceasefire, announced earlier this week, hung heavily over the capital, a day before the planned talks.
Security is on high alert across the city, with strict checks on all entry and exit routes. Islamabad Traffic Police issued advisories urging citizens to avoid unnecessary travel, stay off the Srinagar Highway and Expressway, which provide quick access through the city, and never travel towards the red zone. Airlines have been asked to board delegates and journalists from participating nations without visas.
"Pakistan welcomes all delegates, including journalists from participating nations, travelling in relation to the Islamabad Talks 2026," said Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. "To this end, all airlines are requested to permit boarding to all such individuals without a visa. Immigration authorities in Pakistan will issue" visas on arrival, he wrote on X.
The meetings come days after Washington and Tehran agreed to the Pakistan-mediated two-week ceasefire, and at a time when that truce is already under strain amid different interpretations of its terms, and Israel's intensified bombing of Lebanon.
On Saturday, the US and Iranian teams are expected to sit in separate rooms at the Serena, known for its rose-coloured chandeliers, with Pakistani officials carrying messages between them.
The US delegation is led by Vice President JD Vance, joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Iranian side is to be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander.
Pakistani officials remained tight-lipped about the exact timing of the Iranian delegation's arrival; a source close to the talks said the Pakistani air force would escort the Iranian plane, while Tehran insisted it wouldn't attend without guarantees that Lebanon, where its ally Hezbollah has been fighting Israel, is part of the ceasefire.
Pakistan's emergence as the host and broker of arguably the most consequential diplomatic meeting in years was far from inevitable. The country's deep ties with the US and Iran, with which it shares a border and strong historical, cultural and religious bonds, make it a bridge between the two.
Iran was among the first countries to recognise Pakistan after its independence in 1947, and the two neighbours mended a bruised relationship after briefly striking each other's territory in 2024. Pakistan was among the most outspoken Muslim countries in expressing solidarity with Iran during last year's war with Israel, for which Iranian leaders were publicly grateful.
Equally important has been Islamabad's relationship with President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lavished public compliments on the US president in recent months. Mr Trump said many times he "liked" him.
The two sides are expected to discuss a broad list of contentious points, many of them potential deal-breakers, ranging from Iran's nuclear programme to the lifting of US sanctions. Within this context, Islamabad's Serena Hotel now carries the unenviable task of managing talks in the hope of producing the diplomatic "white smoke" the Middle East is desperately waiting for.
