Islamabad on lockdown ahead of US-Iran talks as Israel-Lebanon strikes threaten ceasefire

Authorities in Pakistan have imposed a tight lockdown in the capital Islamabad ahead of the first US-Iran peace talks, as renewed Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon threaten to derail the ceasefire.

A 3-kilometre security zone around the Serena Hotel has been sealed off. Both the US and Iranian delegations are expected to stay at the hotel, which has asked all other guests to vacate until Sunday.

Pakistani officials are also reportedly preparing to mediate a ceasefire in Lebanon and Yemen during the discussions.

Meanwhile, Israel launched its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict began last month, killing more than 250 people. The Israeli military said it targeted river crossings in southern Lebanon and killed the nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. Hezbollah, which had initially paused attacks under the truce, resumed limited strikes on Israeli positions on Thursday. Lebanon declared a National Day of Mourning and state offices were closed as rescue teams recovered bodies from rubble.

Despite a US-Iran truce announced on Tuesday, Iran has maintained its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the key oil shipping route. Tehran demands that Israeli attacks on Lebanon cease before it agrees to any easing. Global energy markets reacted sharply, with spot oil prices for European and Asian refineries rising toward $150 a barrel, driving diesel prices in the US to $5.69 per gallon.

In Iran, massive crowds marked 40 days of mourning for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed at the start of the conflict, while Iranian officials signalled they would maintain control over the strait and potentially levy passage fees on international shipping.

US President Donald Trump warned that military action would resume if Iran failed to comply with the ceasefire, asserting that future operations would be “bigger and stronger than anyone has ever seen.”

Analysts say the conflict’s combination of ongoing Israeli-Lebanon hostilities and Iran’s blockade could prolong global oil supply disruptions, keeping energy prices elevated and inflationary pressures high worldwide.