WASHINGTON — U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead the American delegation in upcoming negotiations with Iran scheduled to begin this weekend in Islamabad, the White House said on Wednesday.
The talks, mediated by Pakistan, follow a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran announced by President Donald Trump on April 7. The agreement includes provisions for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global oil trade passes. White House officials confirmed that Vance will head the U.S. team, accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Vance, described as the president’s right-hand man, would oversee the negotiations aimed at addressing remaining issues in the fragile truce. The discussions are expected to focus on implementing the ceasefire terms, including shipping through the strategic waterway, amid ongoing disagreements over its scope.
Vice President Vance addressed the tensions on Wednesday while in Budapest, saying the U.S. never indicated that the ceasefire would cover Lebanon. "I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn't," Vance told reporters. He added that ceasefires are "always messy" and often involve initial choppiness.
The ceasefire announcement came after more than a month of regional escalation involving Iran, the U.S., Israel and allied groups. Iran has accused the U.S. of violating the framework by permitting Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, which targeted Hezbollah positions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the terms required the U.S. to choose between upholding the truce or allowing continued conflict via Israel.
U.S. and Israeli officials have maintained that the agreement applies only to direct hostilities between Washington and Tehran, not to Israel’s operations against Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said operations in Lebanon would continue as needed for security.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained restricted on Thursday, with limited vessels passing despite the truce. Iranian authorities had signaled a temporary halt in response to the Lebanon strikes, though some officials indicated limited reopening could occur under Iranian oversight ahead of the talks.
Pakistan’s involvement as mediator follows its role in brokering the initial ceasefire. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other officials have said Tehran remains prepared to respond if necessary, while emphasizing the need for the agreement to be upheld fully.
As of Thursday evening, no direct U.S.-Iran military exchanges were reported, though the situation in Lebanon remained active. Diplomats from multiple countries have urged restraint to allow the negotiations to proceed.
The Islamabad talks mark the first major direct engagement between senior U.S. and Iranian officials in this round, with details on the exact agenda and duration remaining unclear as preparations continued.
