JD Vance heads to Pakistan for talks with Iran - Axios
JD Vance, US Vice President (photo: Getty Images)
On Friday, US Vice President JD Vance traveled to Pakistan to try to reach a deal with Iran to resolve the nuclear dispute and end the war. Meanwhile, officials from Tehran are already in the country where the talks will take place, according to Axios and CNN.
"This is a big deal for JD. He is going to the Super Bowl," a US official told Axios.
As Axios writes, this will be the most significant high-level interaction between US and Iranian officials since 1979. However, the chances of success appear low. Both sides understand that the risk of failure is a return to war, and the countries' worldviews diverge.
"We still don't agree on what we are negotiating about," another US official said.
The talks are expected to begin on Saturday in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. The parties will negotiate directly, with Pakistani officials acting as intermediaries.
Vance will be accompanied at the meeting by Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The delegation also includes representatives of the National Security Council, the State Department, and the Pentagon.
"We are looking forward to the negotiation. I think it is going to be positive.. If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we are willing to extend the open hand... if they try to play us they are going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive," Vance said.
As is known, JD Vance is heading the US delegation. One of the reasons for this approach was the tension between Trump's envoys and the Iranians after two previous rounds of talks that ended in war.
Iranian officials told intermediaries that they believed Witkoff and Kushner had deceived them. But given Vance's status and his skepticism about starting a war, the vice president's involvement could facilitate progress.
"Vance asked for the ball and he got it. He can be responsible for getting the deal that will end the war," a US official stated.
While sending Vance is a signal of US seriousness, some officials are concerned that sending such a high-ranking official may be premature, as preliminary preparations for the talks are not yet complete.
US officials also say it is unclear whether any meaningful progress can be made in the first round of talks. However, they hope it will not be just a ceremonial meeting. Reaching an agreement is expected to take weeks, if not months.
Meanwhile, CNN reports that the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has already arrived in Islamabad. He is also accompanied by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials.
Ceasefire and negotiations
On the night of April 8, US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran. According to him, a final agreement is to be reached during this time.
This night, Trump made new comments. He said the Strait of Hormuz will be opened regardless of US cooperation, and also added that the main issue in the negotiations is the topic of nuclear weapons in Tehran.
