United States and Iran Scheduled to Resume Second Round of Talks in Islamabad

The city of Islamabad is planned to be the venue for the second round of US-Iran talks. (Wikimedia Commons -  Abdul Baqi)

JAKARTA - The United States (US) and Iran teams are likely to hold a second round of negotiations involving their respective technical teams in the Pakistani capital in the near future, at the earliest on Monday (20/4), according to a Pakistani government source to Anadolu, Saturday.

The source, who asked not to be identified, said technical teams from both sides are expected to meet in Islamabad for the next round, "most likely on Monday," to finalize an agreement on the conflict that has lasted for weeks between the US and Iran, which has an impact on global energy supplies and daily life in the Middle East region.

"Once they reach the draft, President Donald Trump, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and a number of other important heads of state will immediately fly to the capital (Islamabad) to sign the agreement," a source said, referring to a number of reports that in addition to Trump and Pezeshkian, regional leaders are also expected to attend the signing of the agreement.

"Negotiators from both sides of the conflict have continued to exchange messages through Islamabad since the end of the first round of negotiations on April 11-12 in Islamabad, to reach a "maximum understanding" before entering the next phase of the long-awaited negotiations," the source added.

The head of the Pakistani Army, General Asif Munir, this week held direct talks with Iranian civilian and military leaders in Tehran, where Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was open to commercial vessels.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday (16/4) that if an agreement is reached with Iran, he will likely go to Islamabad to attend the signing.

"I'm going to Pakistan, yes. Pakistan is so incredible... If a deal is signed in Islamabad, I'll probably come," Trump told reporters.

A Pakistani government official who did not want to be named told Anadolu that logistical preparations had begun to welcome the US and Iranian delegations, as well as the media crews that would cover the event.

On Friday (17/4), US media reported that negotiations were expected to take place on Monday in Islamabad. However, there has been no official announcement from any party regarding the exact schedule for the next round.

An Iranian source familiar with the negotiation process said negotiators from both sides are expected to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday, according to a CNN report.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz was "fully open" to all commercial vessels. The decision was taken "in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon," he said via the X social media platform.