The Pakistan capital has been gearing up for an anticipated second round of talks between the US and Iran, but it was not clear whether Araghchi and the delegation accompanying him would meet any US officials to discuss the Middle East war.

Islamabad had a heavy security presence on Friday, with checkpoints around the city and road closures in the “red zone” surrounding the expected negotiation venue.

Pakistan has emerged as the lead mediator in efforts to end the US-Iran war, but following a marathon first session of talks on April 11 Tehran has so far declined to send a delegation to Islamabad for a second round.

It was not clear whether US vice-president JD Vance or other senior US administration officials were set to return to Pakistan, weeks after he announced he was leaving without a deal.

“US logistics and security teams are present in Islamabad,” the Pakistani official source said.

AFP journalists saw several US military aircraft landing at an airbase in nearby Rawalpindi earlier in the week.

Iran on Friday confirmed that Araghchi had held phone calls with Pakistan’s powerful army chief Asim Munir as well as the country’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar, both of whom played a key role in earlier mediation.