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Pakistani authorities have tightened security in Islamabad ahead of expected peace talks between the United States and Iran.
Iran's ambassador to Pakistan said an Iranian delegation would arrive Thursday night in the capital for serious talks based on Tehran's 10-point proposal.
The White House has confirmed that U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead the American negotiating team in talks aimed at reaching what it described as a permanent end to the war.
Iranian officials have not publicly identified who will represent Tehran, although Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam said the delegation was on its way to Islamabad.
The talks, which are seen as a potentially significant diplomatic opening, are expected to begin later this week.
Pakistani authorities stepped up security in the capital by deploying hundreds of additional police and paramilitary forces ahead of the expected U.S.-Iran talks.
On Thursday, authorities also moved to seal off parts of Islamabad by placing shipping containers along key roads leading to the city's Red Zone.
The Red Zone is the heavily fortified enclave that houses the president's and prime minister's offices, the Foreign Ministry and foreign embassies.
A nearby hotel where the delegations are expected to stay was also placed under tight security.
The moves came as Islamabad prepared to host negotiations that Pakistan has presented as part of efforts to help end the war.
Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said an Iranian delegation would arrive in Islamabad on Thursday night for talks with the United States.
In a post on X, Moghadam said the delegation was coming for "serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran."
He said the visit would go ahead despite what he described as skepticism among Iranian public opinion because of repeated ceasefire violations by Israel aimed at sabotaging the diplomatic initiative.
Moghadam said the delegation was traveling to Islamabad at the invitation of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He did not identify the members of the Iranian team.
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The White House said Vice President JD Vance would head the U.S. negotiating team.
According to one report, the negotiations led by Vance are set to begin Saturday.
The talks are aimed at reaching a permanent end to the war.
Iran has not officially said who will lead its side, although some media reports said Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was expected to head Tehran's delegation.
Moghadam said the talks would be based on Iran's 10-point peace plan.
The reports said the points include Iran enriching uranium, maintaining control of the Strait of Hormuz and other issues that in the past have been nonstarters for U.S. President Donald Trump.
The White House has repeatedly described the 10 points issued by Iran as false.
Moghadam linked Iranian skepticism over the talks to what he described as repeated Israeli ceasefire violations.
That referred to Israeli strikes on Lebanon, which Israel and the United States have said were not included in the ceasefire.
Pakistan and Iran, however, have said the truce between the United States, Israel and Iran includes Lebanon.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that negotiations would be "unreasonable" after accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire by striking Lebanon.
The developments left Islamabad preparing under heavy security for talks that both sides have framed as serious, while questions remained over Iran's representation, the scope of the ceasefire and the status of Tehran's 10-point proposal.
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