Vance Leads U.S. Delegation to Pakistan for Iran Talks
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- Vice President Vance left Washington on Friday for Pakistan to lead a U.S. delegation in historic high‑level talks with Iran aimed at resolving the nuclear dispute and ending the war.
- Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled with Vance as Trump’s envoys, joined by National Security Council, State and Defense officials.
- Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X that a Lebanese ceasefire and the release of Iran’s blocked assets—potentially $6 billion in a Qatari account—must be completed before negotiations can start.
- Trump warned Iran’s leaders that they could be killed if they don’t “play ball” and claimed Iran has “no cards” except short‑term extortion, emphasizing a willingness to resume fighting.
- U.S. officials said the parties still disagree on what they are negotiating about and that the risk of renewed war remains high, casting doubt on the likelihood of immediate progress.
- Vance told reporters that Trump gave the team “pretty clear guidelines” and that the U.S. would extend an “open hand” if Iran negotiates in good faith, but would not be receptive to bad faith.
- The talks were set to begin on Saturday in Islamabad with Pakistani officials as mediators, but officials warned that a comprehensive deal would take weeks or months and likely require extending the current two‑week ceasefire.
Why it matters: The U.S. stakes its diplomatic credibility on Vance’s high‑profile mission, while Iran leverages the talks to demand a Lebanese ceasefire and release of blocked assets; a failure would likely reignite war, costing both sides further casualties and economic disruption and regional instability.
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