WASHINGTON, United States – United States Vice President JD Vance will lead an American delegation to Islamabad, Pakistan, for peace negotiations with Iran.
A White House official confirmed the delegation’s deployment, contradicting an earlier statement from United States President Donald Trump, and Okay News reports that JD Vance will travel alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential advisor Jared Kushner.
Donald Trump initially announced he was sending negotiators to discuss the Middle East conflict, but told ABC News that the vice president would not participate. “It’s only because of security,” Donald Trump said. “JD’s great.”
The delegation previously attended talks in Pakistan on April 11 and April 12. “We’re going to try to have a positive negotiation,” JD Vance said before departing from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. “If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand. If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive.”
The negotiations occur as a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran approaches its scheduled expiration on Wednesday. Donald Trump accused Iran of a “Total Violation” of the agreement following incidents in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.
Writing on the Truth Social platform, Donald Trump stated he offered Tehran “a reasonable deal” and threatened to destroy power plants and bridges if the terms are rejected. “They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years,” Donald Trump wrote.
The Strait of Hormuz remained closed to shipping on Sunday. A United Kingdom maritime security agency reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired at a tanker on Saturday, while intelligence firm Vanguard Tech recorded threats against an empty cruise ship.
The United Kingdom agency recorded a third incident involving a vessel being hit by an unknown projectile, resulting in damage to shipping containers without causing a fire.
