U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, along with Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, are reportedly heading to Pakistan. Their mission? To continue negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to seek a lasting peace in the ongoing conflict that has persisted for nearly two months.
Anonymous U.S. officials shared the news with Reuters and Axios on Friday. This comes shortly after President Trump decided to extend a two-week ceasefire with Iran, despite the lack of tangible progress on negotiations up to this point.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary, confirmed the meeting on her last day at work before maternity leave.
“I can verify that special envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be heading to Pakistan again tomorrow morning for direct talks — mediated by our Pakistani friends who have been excellent throughout this process — with representatives from the Iranian side,” she stated during her appearance on Fox News.
Leavitt mentioned that Tehran reached out, answering President Trump’s call for dialogue, and expressed a desire for an in-person meeting.
“After our discussion with Araghchi, we’ll evaluate the possibility of a trilateral meeting with the U.S.,” a Pakistani official conveyed to Axios.
Araghchi is anticipated to arrive in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on Friday evening for conversations with key figures, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Sharif has been vital in facilitating the ongoing ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran over the past weeks. Earlier this month, he helped mediate indirect discussions, which involved Vice President JD Vance, Witkoff, and Kushner. It appears, however, that Vance won’t be part of this upcoming round of talks.
“The vice president remains closely engaged in this entire situation, and he’ll be here in the U.S. with the president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the national security team for updates,” Leavitt noted.
