US, Iran to hold 'direct' talks in Islamabad on 'permanent ceasefire,' sources say

US and Iranian delegations will hold "direct" talks in Islamabad aimed at reaching a "permanent ceasefire," Pakistani government sources told Anadolu on Thursday.

The negotiations, set to begin Saturday, may extend beyond a single day, the sources said.

Pakistan is preparing to host the talks in its capital after helping secure a fragile two-week ceasefire between the two sides. The meetings will be held at a military site under heightened security, with the Pakistani army in charge, the sources added.

There is no fixed timeframe for the negotiations, which will include a mix of direct and indirect contacts between the delegations, according to the sources.

“The two sides will also sit face to face, and hold separate talks with the Pakistani side,” one source said, adding the discussions could continue for “several days” given the “complex nature of the issue.”

Another source said direct talks could last "not more than two to three days due to security concerns."

The White House has confirmed that Vice President JD Vance will lead the US delegation, which will also include President Donald Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Pakistani sources said Iran’s delegation is expected to include Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf. There has been no official confirmation from Tehran on the composition of its delegation.

Four senior commanders from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard will also take part in the talks, the sources said.

1st such high-level US trip to Pakistan since 2011

The upcoming visit by Vance would mark the highest-level such US visit to Pakistan since then-Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Islamabad in January 2011.

The last US president to visit Pakistan was George W. Bush, who made a two-day trip between March 3 and March 4 in 2006 -- when American and NATO forces were actively fighting a war in neighboring Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will present Pakistan. Both delegations are also expected to make courtesy calls on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, sources said.

Pakistani authorities have implemented heightened security measures across the capital, with offices and educational institutions closed through the weekend.

Major roads leading to the diplomatic enclave, as well as key government installations, including the Prime Minister's Office, the President's House, the Supreme Court, and the Foreign Ministry, have been closed since Thursday morning.