US-Iran | Pakistan

Former foreign minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the world does not have a “plan B” if the US-Iran talks fail to yield the desired results and emphasised the need for the negotiations to lead to a peaceful resolution to the Middle East war. Bilawal shared these thoughts in an interview with Sky News, where he was asked ahead of the talks scheduled in Islamabad for Saturday, “don’t result in a formal treaty” during the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, “do you have a plan B to prevent a return to full-scale hostilities”. In his response, Bilawal said: “I think the international community doesn’t have a plan B. Our Plan A needs to be achieving a peaceful resolution to this conflict and a more permanent peace. I think the way this conflict has played out has proven that a war of this nature, a war of this scale, is not an option.” He continued: “It’s up to us, up to the disputing parties, up to all countries, to push all sides to agree to that peace so that we don’t get dra...

The federal capital is on ‘red alert’ ahead of crucial peace talks between the US and Iran, with more than 10,000 police and security personnel deployed to ensure the safety of visiting delegates. Sources say the multi-tiered security arrangement is being supervised by the military, assisted by paramilitary forces such as the Rangers, along with Islamabad Police and Punjab Police. The Islamabad Traffic Police and the National Highways and Motorways Police are deployed on roads to ensure smooth traffic flow. Below are some glimpses of the heavy security arrangements in Islamabad during the US-Iran talks. Pakistani army soldiers arrive for deployment at the Red Zone area of Islamabad on April 10, 2026. —AFP A US Air Force transport aircraft with “Charleston” written on its tail approaches PAF Base Nur Khan as Pakistan prepares to host the US and Iran for peace talks, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, April 10, 2026. —AFP An army soldier disperses locals who arrive to visit Faisal Masjid, for security reasons, as Pakista...

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he had ordered his ministers to begin direct talks with Lebanon, pushing for Hezbollah’s disarmament amid mounting concern that its ongoing strikes could cause the fragile US-Iran truce to unravel. A Lebanese government official told AFP shortly after Netanyahu’s announcement that Beirut “wants a ceasefire” declared before starting any negotiations with Israel, a day after deadly strikes across the country. At least 300 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the bombardment on Wednesday, the Lebanese health ministry said, while Hezbollah said it was engaged in close-quarters combat against Israeli forces on the ground on Thursday in the south Lebanon town of Bint Jbeil. Netanyahu’s order for direct negotiations with Lebanon’s government was focused on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peace, according to a statement from his office, but he offered no immediate respite from the bombardment. “Lebanon wants a ceasefire before starting nego...

“The optics of the [US-Iran] ceasefire are significant for Pakistan on the world stage.” This is what The Independent wrote in its analysis after Islamabad brokered a ceasefire between the United States and Iran in the early morning hours of Wednesday. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump warned that a “whole civilisation will die” and gave Iran an ultimatum to make a deal. Barely an hour before his deadline was set to expire, both Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities along with a temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The development came after PM Shehbaz urged Trump to extend his deadline for two weeks to allow diplomacy a chance, which was ultimately accepted by the latter. Islamabad will host talks between both the countries in the upcoming days to reach a long-term solution to the conflict. While the ceasefire has brought relief for almost every country on the planet, many say it has also pushed Pakistan into the role of a “peacemaker”. The Independent In its analysis, T...

Pakistan on Thursday expressed optimism about ongoing efforts for US-Iran negotiations, despite rhetoric from any side, while highlighting the strong commonalities and widespread appreciation received by the five-point peace plan announced in Beijing and the seven-point summary of the quadrilateral talks held in Islamabad.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday said that US-Iran “indirect talks” were taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan. “There has been unnecessary speculation in the media regarding peace talks to end ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” he said in a post on the social media platform X. “In reality, US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan. In this context, the United States has shared 15 points, being deliberated upon by Iran,” he said. “Brotherly countries of Turkiye and Egypt, among others, are also extending their support to this initiative,” he said. “Pakistan remains fully committed to promoting peace and continues to make every effort to ensure stability in the region and beyond,” he said, adding that dialogue and diplomacy were the only way forward. He also tagged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump’s Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff in the post. Shor...

Switzerland ready to offer good offices to ease US-Iran dialogue between the two nations, spokesman says

A fourth round of talks between the United States and Iran, which had been due to take place in Rome on Saturday, has been postponed, and a new date will be set “depending on the US approach”, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday. “US sanctions on Iran during the nuclear talks are not helping the sides to resolve the nuclear dispute through diplomacy,” the official told Reuters. “Depending on the US approach, the date of the next round of talks will be announced.” Oman, which mediated earlier sessions of the US-Iran talks, said on Thursday the next round of nuclear discussions provisionally planned for May 3 would be rescheduled for “logistical reasons”. However, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters that the US had never confirmed its participation in the fourth round of talks in Rome. The source said the timing and venue of the next round of talks have yet to be confirmed but are expected in the near future. Earlier on Thursday, Iran accused the US of “contradictory behaviour and prov...