JD Vance is expected to travel to Islamabad on Tuesday at the head of a US diplomatic delegation, contingent on Iran agreeing to continue negotiations in the Pakistani capital as the current ceasefire deadline approaches.
The vice president is set to be joined by Steve Witkoff, a key envoy of Donald Trump, and Jared Kushner. However, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian cautioned that deep-rooted mistrust toward the United States remains, citing what he described as “contradictory and unconstructive signals” from American officials.
Pezeshkian stressed that Iran would not yield to pressure, while a senior Iranian official indicated to Reuters that Tehran is “positively reviewing” participation in the talks. Reports suggest the Iranian delegation could once again be led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf if Vance attends.
Ghalibaf later reiterated that Iran would not engage in negotiations under threat, warning that the country is prepared to “reveal new cards on the battlefield.” He also accused Trump of attempting to turn negotiations into a means of forcing surrender or justifying renewed conflict.
Tehran has called for an end to the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while Trump has maintained that Iran must never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, even expressing willingness to meet Iranian leaders directly.
Confusion briefly arose after Trump told the New York Post that Vance’s delegation was already en route. US officials later clarified that while an earlier departure had been discussed, Vance is expected to leave Tuesday morning if the talks proceed.
A potential second round of high-stakes discussions—aimed at ending a conflict that escalated following US and Israeli strikes in late February—could take place on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Trump stated that the two-week ceasefire with Iran will now expire Wednesday evening (Washington time), extending it by 24 hours to allow room for negotiations.
Despite signaling that a further extension is unlikely, Trump added in a separate interview that he would not rush into a deal, saying there is still time to reach an agreement.
