Islamabad, April 19 (NationPress) Enhanced security measures are in place in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, with the deployment of over 10,000 police personnel as the second round of discussions between the United States and Iran is anticipated to take place in Islamabad, according to local media reports on Sunday.

A spokesperson for the police stated that more than 10,000 officers from the Rawalpindi police are engaged in security operations, while upwards of 600 specialized pickets are monitoring the city's entry and exit points. Furthermore, additional law enforcement personnel have been assigned to highways, as reported by Pakistan's prominent daily, Dawn.

Approximately 400 elite commandos, including 100 snipers, will be deployed to ensure security during the arrival and departure of foreign dignitaries. As per sources, the security personnel's deployment commenced at midnight on April 18, ahead of the dignitaries' arrival at Nur Khan Base Chaklala before proceeding to Islamabad.

In the initial shift, more than 3,600 police personnel will be stationed starting at midnight until noon on Sunday, with an additional 3,500 personnel in the second shift. All connecting roads and streets will be closed from Chohan Chowk to Koral Chowk, while the Special Branch will conduct searches and sweeps in the area.

On Saturday, the police outlined a security plan, indicating that security measures were elevated following directives from City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Mahmood Hamdani, as reported by Dawn.

Quick Response Unit teams are on alert patrol, and a security checking system has been established throughout Rawalpindi. The CPO confirmed that continuous monitoring will occur via safe city cameras and advanced technology, with responsible officers reviewing situation reports from the control room.

Meanwhile, Iran has noted that there has been progress in its ongoing negotiations with the United States, though it emphasized that a final accord is still a distant goal, with the current two-week ceasefire set to expire on April 22, according to local media reports on Sunday.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated in a televised address on Saturday that substantial differences remain between the two parties.

"There are many gaps and some fundamental points remain," Ghalibaf remarked, stressing that negotiations have not reached a conclusive stage.

"We are still far from the final discussion," he added, indicating that while dialogue continues, a comprehensive resolution has yet to be achieved.

Ghalibaf also claimed that Iran maintained an advantageous position during recent weeks of conflict and suggested that Tehran's agreement to the temporary ceasefire came only after its conditions were acknowledged by Washington.

"If we accepted the ceasefire, it was because they accepted our demands," he stated, referring to the United States.

Highlighting Iran's strategic standing, he noted that the US had not met its objectives, while Iran continued to exert control over the vital Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route for global energy supplies.

"The enemy's every effort was to impose its demands on us, and it is crucial that we assert our rights; this is where negotiation becomes a form of struggle," Ghalibaf concluded.