Iran delegation heading to Pakistan as cease-fire talks with US hang in balance

ISLAMABAD — Senior Iranian leadership will come to Pakistan Friday or Saturday — as the world watches and waits for Tehran to agree to a second round of peace talks with the US, Iranian and Pakistani government sources told The Post.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will lead a “small delegation” to Islamabad, which is set to arrive around 10 p.m. local time Friday, an Iranian source said.

The meeting will most likely be bilateral between Islamabad and Tehran only, an Iranian source said.

It was not immediately clear whether the trip indicates a second round of talks is imminent, but the issue will be a subject of discussion during the Iran-Pakistan meeting. Still, Pakistani government officials expressed optimism.

“Following important discussions with the Pakistani mediation team, a second round of Islamabad peace talks between the United States and Iran is expected,” the source said, adding that they won’t necessarily happen this weekend.

The news comes after senior Pakistani leaders held official phone calls with their Iranian counterparts on Friday to discuss the ongoing cease-fire.

Pakistan’s capital city has been in lockdown, with large portions of Islamabad closed to traffic and public transportation shuttered as a security perimeter was set up for talks originally expected earlier this week.

The US has consistently expressed openness to talks as Iran has wavered in its willingness to come for a second round.

“The US logistical and security team is already present in Islamabad to support the negotiation process,” Pakistani government sources said.

Iran is expected to land at 10:30 p.m., with departure estimated sometime “after 12 a.m. early morning Saturday.”

The Iranian delegation will make two additional stops after Islamabad, with plans to visit Oman and Russia after an expected departure from Pakistan on Saturday morning, according to an Iranian source and Tehran’s state-run IRNA news.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.