U.S. Diplomats to Pakistan for Talks with Iran
This weekend, President Trump is dispatching a diplomatic team led by Vice President JD Vance to Pakistan for discussions aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict with Iran. These mediated talks are set to take place in Islamabad.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Wednesday that the meetings will occur on Saturday morning, local time.
In a phone call with the New York Post, Trump indicated that the discussions would commence “very soon.” However, he expressed uncertainty about whether Vance would participate, citing concerns about “safety and security.”
“Regarding the vice president’s safety, we are confident in the United States Secret Service to ensure the safety of both the vice president and the president’s negotiating team,” Leavitt emphasized when asked about Vance’s security.
This upcoming meeting will be the first in-person negotiations since the conflict erupted on February 28.
Leavitt emphasized that Trump seeks the immediate reopening of the Strait without any limitations, a demand the administration intends to uphold.
After Tuesday evening’s announcement, questions were raised about the potential durability of the ceasefire.
Reports from CNN and other outlets suggested that Iranian state media declared a “great victory” for Iran, claiming the U.S. had accepted its 10-point plan. Trump dismissed this reporting as inaccurate, noting that the claim originated from a Nigerian outlet lacking authority on the delicate agreement.
Leavitt reiterated that CNN’s account contradicted Tehran’s formal statement on the ceasefire and the upcoming talks.
“I’ve witnessed a lot of misleading coverage surrounding these negotiations today. To clarify, the Iranians initially proposed a 10-point plan that was completely unserious, unacceptable, and ultimately discarded,” Leavitt stated. “It was literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump and his team.”
She remarked that given Iran’s precarious situation, the remnants of its regime “acknowledged reality” and modified their proposal.
“They presented a more reasonable and entirely different plan to the president and his team,” Leavitt recounted. “President Trump and the team concluded that this revised proposal could serve as a viable basis for negotiations and aligned it with our own fifteen-point proposal.”
