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The White House on Friday announced that special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will return to Islamabad for talks with Iranian officials.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the pair would depart on Saturday, while Vice President JD Vance, who attended the first round of talks, will remain in the US pending developments.
“The Vice President, I understand, is on standby and will be willing to dispatch to Pakistan if we feel it's a necessary use of his time,” Ms Leavitt told reporters.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said an Iranian team led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had arrived in Islamabad. The ministry said no direct meeting would take place with the US and that "Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan".
But Ms Leavitt said Iran requested in-person talks, which Pakistan is to mediate. “We are hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward towards a deal,” she added.
Mr Araghchi's visit to Islamabad would be followed by stops in Muscat and Moscow, Iran's Irna news agency reported.
“The purpose of this trip is bilateral consultations, discussions, and dialogue regarding the ongoing developments in the region, as well as the latest status of the war imposed by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran,” it said.
Islamabad has been ready to host another round of talks since last weekend. Two hotels designated to host US and Iranian delegations told The National on Friday that authorities had asked them to remain closed until at least Monday.
Pakistani officials have also confirmed that the US military cargo planes that landed in Islamabad on Sunday with equipment and personnel to support a high-level visit remain at one of the city’s airports.
Mr Araghchi’s visit to Islamabad follows a phone call earlier on Friday with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Mr Dar underscored the importance of sustained dialogue to address outstanding issues, while Mr Araghchi acknowledged Pakistan's constructive mediation role, Pakistan's Foreign Office said.
A new round of talks comes at a crucial time. Mr Trump extended an initial ceasefire indefinitely but has warned of new military action in the Strait of Hormuz.
The first round of peace talks from April 11 to 12 ended with no deal. Since then, Iran has publicly baulked at returning to talks, citing the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the seizure of an Iranian container ship as beaches of the truce.
We will “not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats”, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is not expected to travel with Mr Araghchi on Friday, said this week.
Yet behind the scenes, Pakistani officials have been working the phones relentlessly. Mr Araghchi has spoken separately with both Mr Dar and Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in recent days.
A trip to Islamabad by Mr Araghchi suggests Iran has quietly decided the diplomatic track is worth preserving, even as its public rhetoric remains defiant. For Pakistan, it would be a vindication of its continued efforts as mediator.
