Islamabad is hosting peace talks between the United States and Iran, beginning after weeks of intense diplomacy by Pakistan’s leaders. The U.S. delegation is led by Vice President J.D. Vance; Iran’s delegation includes parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and foreign minister Ishaq Dar are facilitating the meeting.
The talks follow Pakistan’s role in brokering a fragile two-week ceasefire, a sudden elevation of the country’s diplomatic profile that has surprised many residents of the normally quiet capital. “I’m a bit surprised,” said 19-year-old Khizra Zaheer in Islamabad. “When did Pakistan get so influential?”
Pakistan moved quickly from a quiet intermediary to an active convener, bringing in leaders from Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and China to support its peace efforts before proposing the ceasefire plan. Both the U.S. and Iran publicly credited Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, when the pause was announced. Rasheed Wali Janjua, director of research at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute, said Pakistan enjoyed an unusual level of trust from both sides and that “both parties are looking for a way out.”
Now Pakistan faces the harder task of turning the ceasefire into a lasting settlement. Observers note potential sticking points that could undermine the talks, including disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam asked Pakistan to help end even after the ceasefire declaration.
Analysts point to domestic politics as a limiting factor. Ishtiaq Ahmad, professor emeritus at Quaid-i-Azam University, warned that Pakistan’s growing international relevance sits uneasily alongside ongoing political and economic volatility at home. Daniel Markey of the Stimson Center noted Pakistan’s lack of formal relations with Israel and the unpopularity of any perceived rapprochement, suggesting Islamabad is unlikely to engage Israel directly.
Security and logistical preparations in Islamabad have been extensive but discreet. High-profile delegations arrived amid tight secrecy about the plan for the meeting. Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir and National Security Advisor Asim Malik, formerly head of intelligence, have been key figures in the mediation, though many details remained under wraps until the ceasefire.
The city has shown visible signs of the moment: a five-star hotel cleared for an “important event,” a government-declared two-day holiday, new billboards displaying Iranian, American and Pakistani flags, and heightened security measures — barbed wire, concrete barriers and police checkpoints that disrupted traffic. Islamabad’s layout, centered on the government Red Zone and embassies, made it practical for hosting such high-stakes diplomacy.
For residents, the disruptions are an acceptable trade-off. Muhammad Waseem, 43, stranded by road closures with his son, said the inconvenience was minor compared with the importance of the talks. “Peace talks are going on, so for this we should compromise,” he said.
As the delegations meet, Pakistan aims to convert the fragile pause into an agreement that holds, a success that could reshape global perceptions of the country — even as domestic challenges persist.