Pakistan says visa-free entry only for US, Iran delegates, journalists for Islamabad talks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has clarified that visa-free entry for participants of the Islamabad Talks 2026 will be limited to delegates and journalists from Iran and the United States, the Foreign Office said on Friday, following earlier statements suggesting broader facilitation measures.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, in a post on X, said the arrangement applied only to nationals of the two participating countries and would remain valid for the duration of the talks.

“Pakistan has extended visa-free travel to delegates and journalists from participating nations of Islamabad Talks 2026, i.e., Iran and the USA. This facility, extended for the duration of the talks, does not cover third-country nationals,” he said.

The clarification came after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said earlier that participants of the talks would be granted visa-on-arrival facilities and that airlines had been instructed to allow boarding without prior visas for those travelling in connection with the event.

Dar also welcomed delegates and journalists attending the talks, saying Pakistan was facilitating smooth entry to ensure international participation.

The Islamabad Talks 2026 are expected to bring together US and Iranian delegations for discussions aimed at ending the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran following a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire, officials and diplomatic sources have said.

The Foreign Office has not issued further details on the agenda of the talks, while authorities have stepped up security arrangements in the federal capital ahead of the expected arrivals.