Pakistan has granted visa-on-arrival to international delegations and journalists ahead of what is being described as make-or-break negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad this weekend.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that all delegates and journalists travelling in connection with the “Islamabad Talks 2026” will be allowed to board flights without a visa, with immigration authorities issuing visas on arrival.
The talks — set to begin Saturday morning local time — will mark the first direct negotiations between the US and Iran since the war began on February 28, according to CNN. A sudden two-day public holiday was declared in the Pakistani capital, with streets emptied to ensure tight security for the arriving delegations.
“The lives of millions of people across the Middle East, as well as the stability of the global economy, are seen as hinging on the outcome,” the White House said.
The negotiations follow the two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan on April 8 that brought a controlled reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, the truce remains fragile — Israel’s continued bombardment of Lebanon and disagreements over whether Lebanese territory is covered by the ceasefire threaten to unravel the deal.
Global oil prices remain elevated despite the ceasefire, with the outcome of the Islamabad talks expected to determine the Hormuz outlook. For Sri Lanka, which imports the bulk of its energy through the strait, the talks carry direct implications for fuel supply stability and electricity tariff costs.
