Islamabad Talks Likely to Extend into Sunday as Marathon Sessions Continue

Tehran - BORNA - The diplomatic process began Saturday morning with separate bilateral meetings between Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the heads of the two negotiating teams. Following the exchange of critical messages via the host, intensive political and technical discussions officially commenced at 18:30 local time and have remained in progress for several hours.

Intensive Sessions Behind Closed Doors

The negotiations are being held under strict security and behind closed doors. While no official images or live briefings have been released, sources indicate that the sessions transitioned from high-level political dialogue to specialized technical discussions, particularly focusing on economic and financial sectors.

Reports from Pakistani sources suggest that the engagement has involved both direct and indirect formats, with Pakistani officials present to facilitate the dialogue. Key figures, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, are reportedly present in the negotiation chambers to aid the process.

Potential Extension of the Summit

While the talks were initially anticipated to be a one-day event, the complexity of the issues—including the details of sanctions relief, the unfreezing of assets, and the stability of the Lebanon ceasefire—has pushed the schedule forward.

International news outlets, including CNN, have reported that the deliberations are expected to stretch deep into the night. Given the volume of technical drafts being exchanged, many observers now expect a second stage of negotiations to convene on Sunday morning to finalize the outcomes.

The high-level Iranian delegation, led by Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, remains in the Pakistani capital, maintaining Tehran's firm stance that any agreement must satisfy the strategic interests of Iran and the Axis of Resistance within the current two-week ceasefire window.

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