Pakistan’s capital has been placed under tight security ahead of talks between US and Iranian officials, with authorities sealing key roads, restricting access to the city’s diplomatic enclave, and deploying thousands of police and paramilitary personnel.

Islamabad appeared “deserted” on Saturday as large parts of the city, including routes linking the airport to central Islamabad, have been barricaded and residents have been urged to stay indoors. Entry to the Red Zone, where government buildings and the talks venue are located, has been limited to authorised personnel.

Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has described the negotiations as a “make-or-break moment” in efforts to turn a temporary ceasefire into a lasting settlement.

Senior US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Islamabad ahead of talks with Iran, according to Reuters, who cited Pakistani sources familiar with the matter.

The two are part of a broader US delegation led by vice president JD Vance, which is expected to hold high-level negotiations with Iranian officials aimed at extending a fragile ceasefire after six weeks of conflict.

The talks come amid deep disagreements over sanctions, the Strait of Hormuz and regional conflicts, raising doubts about whether a broader deal can be reached.

Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, and Kushner have previously led backchannel diplomacy with Iran, and are expected to play a central role in the negotiations.

US intelligence assessments indicate China may be preparing to supply air defence systems to Iran in the coming weeks, according to a report by CNN, citing three people familiar with the matter.

The potential transfer involving shoulder-fired anti-air missiles, or MANPADS, could pose a renewed threat to low-flying US aircraft if fighting resumes after the fragile ceasefire.

People familiar with the matter told the outlet that Beijing may route shipments through third countries to conceal their origin, suggesting an effort to maintain deniability.

China has denied the claim, saying it “has never provided weapons to any party to the conflict” and urging Washington to avoid “baseless allegations”.

President Donald Trump on 7 April 2026, announced a ceasefire between the US and Iran, after more than a month of war marked by US and Israeli strikes against Iranian military leadership, Iranian retaliation against regional oil infrastructure and a global energy crisis.

Where could the war go next?

The Middle East conflict could cut global growth by up to 1 percentage point if it continues, World Bank President Ajay Banga has warned, as uncertainty persists despite a ceasefire.

With an early end to the war, the hit to growth would be smaller, around 0.3 to 0.4 percentage points. while inflation could rise by 200 to 300 basis points, he told Reuters on Friday.

“The question really is, does this current peace and the negotiations that are going to be happening this ‌weekend – will this lead to a lasting peace and then a reopening of the Strait (of Hormuz)?” ‌said Banga. “If it doesn’t lead to that, and if conflict were to break out again, would that have an even larger impact, or longer-term impact on energy infrastructure?”

Emerging markets face sharper pressure, with growth projected at 3.65 per cent in 2026 and inflation rising to 4.9 per cent, while oil prices have already jumped about 50 per cent.

Shelters for displaced people in Lebanon are “severely overcrowded,” the United Nations has warned, as Israeli evacuation orders drive a growing humanitarian crisis.

“Needs in Lebanon exceed the available capacity,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Friday, adding that nearly half of the country’s public schools are now being used as reception centres.

The UN also warned the country’s health system is under severe strain, with some hospitals at risk of running out of trauma supplies within days.

Up to 1.2 million people have been displaced by Israeli attacks, with around 140,000 sheltering in about 680 sites, according to UN figures.

The crisis has intensified amid a sharp rise in casualties, with Lebanese authorities reporting more than 300 people killed in strikes on Wednesday alone.

A potential agreement between the US and Iran is “almost done,” with groundwork for the deal already laid ahead of talks in Islamabad.

According to a source cited by Al Jazeera, preliminary negotiations were carried out by advance teams before the arrival of US vice president JD Vance and Iranian officials, raising expectations that a deal could be signed.

Pakistan is facilitating the process through indirect talks, passing messages between the two sides. Its efforts have been backed by countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, and China, underscoring a broader diplomatic push to bring both sides closer to an agreement.

Violence in Lebanon has continued despite the US-Iran ceasefire, with fresh Israeli strikes and Hezbollah retaliation reported on Friday.

An Israeli attack on a government building in the southern city of Nabatieh killed 13 Lebanese state security personnel, according to president Joseph Aoun.

Hezbollah said it responded by firing rockets into northern Israel.

The escalation follows earlier strikes that killed more than 350 people in densely populated areas hours after the ceasefire was announced this week, according to Lebanese authorities.

A two-week ceasefire announced by the United States this week has halted US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, but it has not extended to other fronts.

Iran has yet to lift restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, where disruption to shipping has hit global energy supplies.

At the same time, fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon has continued, with Israeli strikes and retaliatory rocket fire reported after the truce was announced.

The US and Israel say the Lebanon conflict is not covered by the ceasefire, while Tehran insists it is part of the same war, exposing a key divide ahead of talks.

A senior US delegation led by vice president JD Vance is travelling to Islamabad for negotiations with Iran, as diplomatic efforts intensify to end the war. The team includes president Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner.

Iran’s delegation, led by speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araqchi, arrived a day earlier.

Pakistan has imposed an unprecedented lockdown in the capital, deploying thousands of security personnel ahead of the talks, which prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has described as decisive for the conflict’s outcome.