Vance optimistic for 'positive' discussions with Iran as he heads to Pakistan |
Vance optimistic for ‘positive’ discussions with Iran as he heads to Pakistan
Vice President JD Vance said the U.S. delegation is heading to Pakistan with “pretty clear guidelines” from President Trump to negotiate a deal with Iran.
“We’re looking forward to negotiation,” Vance told reporters before departing for Islamabad Friday. “I think it’s going to be positive.”
Vance is leading the U.S. group to Pakistan which also includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government is acting as a mediator.
“As the President of the United States said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand,” he said. “If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive.”
“So we’re going to try to have a positive negotiation. The president gave us some pretty clear guidelines, and we’re going to see,” he added.
The first round of conversations with the Iranians is expected to take place Saturday. The talks are high stakes as the fresh two-week ceasefire to end the Iran war is already on rocky terms.
This meeting will be the first time the vice president joins Witkoff and Kushner in negotiations.
The White House has said the talks are “ongoing” but the deal is fragile as fighting continues in the Middle East.
There were different interpretations of whether the ceasefire included an end to strikes on Lebanon along with Iran. The Iranians maintain Lebanon was included, but the U.S. and Israel have said it’s not.
There are also parts of the Iran’s 10-point plan that are unlikely to get support from the White House, like Iran wanting to continue to enrich uranium.
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