The White House has announced that U.S. President Donald Trump is sending a delegation to Pakistan to engage in discussions aimed at establishing a lasting peace agreement with Iran. Leading this delegation will be Vice President JD Vance, with the first round of negotiations scheduled for Saturday.
Alongside Vice President Vance, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will also travel to Islamabad to participate in the talks. On the Iranian side, the delegation is expected to be headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, particularly in light of recent losses among Iran’s political leadership due to the ongoing conflict, as reported by Reuters.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “The president is sending his negotiation team, led by Vice President Vance, Special Envoy Witkoff, and Kushner to Islamabad for discussions this weekend.” She emphasized Vance’s significant involvement in the negotiations, describing him as “the president’s right-hand man” and highlighting his integral role in ongoing discussions.
Leavitt elaborated that the aim of the negotiators is to reconcile the ceasefire proposals put forth by both the U.S. and Iran into a cohesive agreement during the meetings in Islamabad. She reaffirmed that the administration’s key conditions remain unchanged, particularly the demand for an end to uranium enrichment in Iran.
This announcement followed closely on the heels of a ceasefire agreement reached between the U.S.-Israel alliance and Iran, intended to put an end to hostilities that have escalated in the region since February 28.
Nevertheless, reports indicate that Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a pivotal shipping corridor for global oil and gas, in response to Israel’s recent, intense military operations in Lebanon, which resulted in 112 casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the ceasefire does not extend to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia group stationed in Lebanon, and reaffirmed that operations against them will continue.
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