Pakistan declares a two-day holiday in Islamabad ahead of US-Iran talks

With high-stakes US-Iran talks set to unfold in Islamabad, Pakistan has abruptly declared two local holidays in the capital, triggering a security-led pause across the city ahead of the diplomatic engagement, as per an AFP report.

No reason was given in the notification issued by the Islamabad district administration late Wednesday, but authorities in the capital have often announced holidays or restrictions for security reasons ahead of high-profile diplomatic events.

The holidays on Thursday and Friday apply only to the Islamabad Capital Territory, according to a notice posted by the district commissioner on Wednesday.

The move comes as Pakistan prepares to host high-stakes talks involving US and Iranian representatives over the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump is sending a heavyweight negotiating team, led by Vice President JD Vance, to Pakistan this Saturday for the first round of face-to-face talks with Iran.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the deployment, telling reporters the delegation would convene in Islamabad for what the White House is calling the opening round of formal negotiations.

Who's going and what they're walking into

Vance will be joined by senior Trump advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. "The first round of those talks will take place on Saturday morning local time, and we know we look forward to those in-person meetings," Leavitt said.

The announcement marks a deliberate pivot, from military pressure to the negotiating table, even as the White House keeps its public posture firm. Leavitt said US and Israeli strikes that began on February 28 have significantly degraded Iran's ability to supply weapons to its proxy networks across the region.

"Iran can no longer distribute weapons to its proxy groups," she said, framing the military campaign as having shifted the balance of power heading into talks.

The Islamabad talks follow a burst of high-level contact. Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, and US officials have also been engaging China at senior levels, a sign that Washington is working multiple tracks simultaneously as it pushes toward a durable settlement.