The White House announced that Vice President JD Vance will lead the U.S. delegation in the first round of talks with Iran, scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad. The discussions aim to transform a fragile ceasefire into a more durable framework.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Vance would head the negotiating team alongside envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The talks are expected to begin on Saturday in Pakistan’s capital and will focus on turning the temporary truce into a sustainable agreement. U.S. officials indicated that initial discussions could take the form of “proximity talks,” with American and Iranian delegations meeting in the same location but communicating through intermediaries, though direct engagement remains possible.
Iran has pushed for Vance to assume a leading role and has expressed skepticism about other U.S. negotiators, accusing Witkoff and Kushner of misrepresenting its positions.
The diplomatic effort comes amid ongoing tensions over the scope of the ceasefire, including disputes tied to Israeli military activity in the region and disagreements regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
Vance recently warned that a “legitimate misunderstanding” existed about the terms of the truce and cautioned Iran that it would be making a mistake if it walked away from negotiations.
U.S. officials also noted that Pakistan is facilitating the talks as both sides test whether the current pause in fighting can open the door to broader agreements on uranium enrichment and regional security.
