Islamabad, Apr 17: Pakistan has started preparing to host the second round of high-stakes talks between the US and Iran during the next week for a landmark peace deal to end the war in West Asia that has crippled global energy supplies, officials said on Friday.

The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Pakistan over the weekend aimed at ending their conflict, but the talks ended early Sunday without any agreement.

Official sources in Pakistan on Friday said that a feverish diplomatic activity followed to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table. It was met with success as both continue to observe the temporary two-week ceasefire, allowing Pakistan to relaunch its mediatory push.

After working behind the scenes, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a tri-nation tour on Wednesday, while Field Marshal Asim Munir landed in Tehran on the same day.

The Prime Minister, after discussion with the Saudi and Qatari leaders, reached Turkiye on Thursday night as the Field Marshal spent more than 24 hours in Iran meeting its political and military leaders.

Though nothing has been officially said about the outcome of talks between the Pakistani civil and military leaders, security officials back home suddenly became active on Thursday evening, authorities said.

According to officials in Islamabad, “preparations have started in Islamabad and neighbouring Rawalpindi as thousands of police and paramilitary personnel have started coming from other provinces.”

Traditionally, the Islamabad administration seeks support from provinces to help in the work of law enforcement in case mega security arrangements are needed.

During the first round of talks, more than 10,000 security personnel were deployed.

There are also reports that transport companies have been approached by the Islamabad and Rawalpindi districts officials to inform them that traffic coming from other cities or leaving the twin cities may face drastic restrictions.

According to a message shared on social media, such restrictions, once imposed, may continue until the end of next week. It urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel during the next week or plan well in advance.

Similarly, educational institutions may be closed in the two cities along with markets in areas close to the airport to reduce traffic on roads, officials said.

US Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said the talks failed to reach a deal, citing Tehran not forgoing its nuclear programme as one of the key sticking points.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation in marathon peace talks, said that his team raised “forward-looking initiatives, but the opposite side ultimately failed to win the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations.”

The conflict began after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, paralysing global energy markets and disrupting trade.

The ceasefire between the US and Iran would expire on April 22.

The chances of a peace deal got further support when President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday that he may travel to Islamabad if a final agreement with Iran is signed there, while claiming that Tehran has accepted “almost everything” currently under negotiation.

“If a deal is signed in Islamabad, I may go…They want me,” he told the reporters on the White House lawn before departing for Nevada and Arizona.

Trump expressed optimism about Pakistan-led diplomatic efforts to end hostilities and secure a settlement before the current ceasefire expires, indicating that he would extend it, although he suggested such a move might not be necessary if a deal is reached in time.

The US leader has repeatedly praised Pakistan and its leaders, Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir, as “extraordinary, kind and very competent”, has once again shown his ability to swing the global conversation with a single statement.

Saudi Arabia, April 17: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced stringent penalties, including fines of up to SR100,000 (around Rs24.9 lakh), for individuals performing Hajj without an official permit or assisting visit visa holders in doing so illegally.

In a statement posted on X, the Saudi Ministry of Interior said the penalties target both unauthorised pilgrims and those facilitating violations of Hajj permit rules.The measures will be enforced from April 18 to mid-June, covering the peak Hajj season, and apply to those entering or attempting to enter Makkah and other holy sites without approval.

Under the regulations, individuals performing or attempting to perform Hajj without a permit will face fines of up to SR20,000 (about Rs 4.98 lakh). The same penalty applies to visit visa holders who enter or remain in Makkah during the restricted period from 1 Dhul-Qa’dah to 14 Dhul-Hijjah.

Harsher penalties of up to SR100,000 will be imposed on those facilitating such violations, including arranging visit visas, transporting unauthorised pilgrims, or providing accommodation. Fines may increase depending on the number of violators involved.

Authorities said offenders who infiltrate Makkah without permits, including visa overstayers, will be deported and barred from re-entering the kingdom for 10 years. Courts may also order confiscation of vehicles used to transport violators.

The ministry urged residents and visitors to strictly comply with Hajj regulations and report violations. It added that those penalised can file a grievance within 30 days and appeal before the Administrative Court within 60 days.

United Nations, Apr 17: India termed the targeting of commercial shipping during the West Asia conflict as deplorable, strongly urging that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz be restored at the earliest.

“An aspect of particular concern for India for its energy and economic security relates to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said in the UN General Assembly on Thursday.

“India has deplored the fact that commercial shipping was made a target of military attacks in this conflict,” Parvathaneni said.

India reiterated that the targeting of commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding the freedom of navigation and commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, are unacceptable.

Underscoring that international law in this regard must be fully respected, Parvathaneni said India strongly urges that safe and unimpeded freedom of navigation and global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz be restored at the earliest.

He also voiced concern over the loss of the precious lives of Indian seafarers aboard ships during the course of the conflict.

Parvathaneni was delivering remarks at the United Nations General Assembly debate under the Veto Initiative on “The Situation in the Middle East”, a meeting that was held after Russia and China vetoed a Bahrain-led resolution in the UN Security Council earlier this month on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The veto by two permanent members of the 15-nation Security Council triggered the UNGA debate on the issue.

The Indian envoy said that since the outbreak of the conflict in Iran and the Gulf region on February 28 this year, India had expressed deep concern and urged all states to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritise the safety of civilians.

“We have urged all states to promote dialogue and diplomacy and de-escalation of tensions, and to purposefully address underlying issues. We have also called for respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states,” he said.

Amid the West Asia conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs said last month that eight Indian nationals have lost their lives while one remained missing in “various incidents” in the region.

As the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial oil artery located between Oman and Iran connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, virtually closed due to the conflict, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had said that when this crucial chokepoint is “strangled, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable cannot breathe.

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has warned that the Strait of Hormuz, a central artery for global energy trade, has seen activity fall to a near halt. Ship transits dropped from around 130 per day in February to just six in March – a collapse of about 95%.

“The disruption is hitting a large share of global oil and gas supplies, with immediate consequences for production, trade and consumption worldwide. It is also spilling over into transport systems, including maritime routes, air cargo and port logistics,” UNCTAD has said.

The UN agency has warned that if the military escalation and disruptions persist, the suffering will extend far beyond the region, translating into widespread economic hardship.

Washington, Apr 17: The US military has widened its efforts beyond the blockade of Iran’s ports to allow its forces around the world to stop any ship tied to Tehran or those suspected of carrying supplies that could help its government, from weapons to oil, metals and electronics.

Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, specifically pointed to operations in the Pacific, saying the US would be targeting vessels that left before the blockade began earlier this week outside the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for energy and other shipments.

US forces in other areas of responsibility “will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” he told reporters at the Pentagon.

The military also detailed an expansive lists of goods that it considers contraband, declaring that it will board, search and seize them from merchant vessels “regardless of location.” A notice published Thursday says any “goods that are destined for an enemy and that may be susceptible to use in armed conflict” are “subject to capture at any place beyond neutral territory.”

The expansion of US military efforts to target Iranian shipping is another pressure point for Tehran and comes as a ceasefire is set to expire in mere days. Mediators are pressing for an extension to a truce that has paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the US and Iran.

US military details items that could be seized from Iran-linked ships

The military’s new list of banned materials includes products such as weapons, ammunition and military equipment that are classified as “absolute contraband.” However, it also lists items such as oil, iron, steel, aluminum and other goods as “conditional contraband” that it argues can be used both for civilian and military purposes.

Otherwise innocuous items like electronics, power generation equipment or heavy machinery can be seized if “circumstances indicate intended military end-use,” the notice says.

More than 10,000 American troops are helping enforce the blockade on Iranian ports. While no ships have yet been boarded, defence leaders say the military is warning Iran-linked ships that it could fire warning shots or escalate to other force if they try to outrun the Navy.

In the first three days of the military action, 14 ships have turned around rather than confront the naval blockade, according to US Central Command, which oversees the Iran war.

Some Iran-linked or sanctioned vessels that left through the strait have appeared to halt their movements, turn off their radio transponders or head back toward Iran’s coast, shipping data firms say.

Ships near the blockade face US warnings

Vessels that approach the blockade, which is being enforced in Iran’s territorial seas and international waters and not in the Strait of Hormuz, get a warning, Caine said.

“Any ship that would cross the blockade would result in our sailors executing pre-planned tactics designed to bring the force to that ship. If need be, board the ship and take her over,” he said.

US Central Command has released a recording of a radio broadcast sent to vessels in the region that said the military was ready to use force if needed to compel compliance.

“Vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from Iranian port,” the message said.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that “less than 10 per cent of America’s naval power” is being used to enforce the blockade. The Navy has 16 warships — 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier and a littoral combat ship — in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships.

Also supporting the blockade are a series of aircraft as well as surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence operations designed to give the Navy the latest information on the vessels it is encountering.

The Navy is likely tracking ships linked to Iran through satellites, drones and other forms of surveillance as well as each commercial vessel’s past history, said Kevin Donegan, a retired vice admiral and former commander of the Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain.

“It’s a pretty complex operation to make work,” said Donegan, who spoke Thursday during a webinar hosted by the Middle East Institute. “Not just from the intelligence standpoint, but positioning all the ships in the right way to make the intercepts if you have to.”

Donegan stressed that the blockade is only one pressure point on Iran and that it will not end the conflict on its own.

“For it to be most effective, this military tool is added to the other operational tasks that were being done and paired with. Hopefully, diplomacy,” Donegan said. “And if those two are scripted together in the right way, we can potentially get the outcomes we want.”

US Central Command chief appears at the Pentagon

As Hegseth and Caine discussed the blockade, Adm Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, made a rare appearance in the Pentagon briefing room.

He said that before the ceasefire took hold, American service members and troops from allied countries in the Persian Gulf had “fought together side by side.”

“In creating the largest air defense umbrella in the world across the Middle East, we embedded specially trained US military air defenders alongside our partner nation soldiers,” Cooper said, adding that Bahrain’s king and crown prince knew American soldiers by name.