WASHINGTON — U.S. officials are heading to Pakistan on Monday for a new round of talks with Iran aimed at addressing ongoing tensions, the White House said on Sunday.
President Donald Trump announced the planned negotiations in a social media post, stating that U.S. negotiators would arrive in Islamabad. Vice President JD Vance is expected to lead the delegation, which will also include special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, according to White House officials.
The move comes after an initial round of face-to-face talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12 that lasted more than 21 hours but ended without an agreement. Pakistan has been mediating the process following a fragile ceasefire between the sides that is set to expire in the coming days.
Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire through actions in the Strait of Hormuz and repeated warnings about potential U.S. military responses if no deal is reached. Iranian state media reported that Tehran has rejected participation in the new talks, citing the ongoing U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and what it called excessive demands, according to IRNA. Details about whether an Iranian delegation will travel to Islamabad remained unclear as of Sunday evening.
The discussions are expected to cover Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz. The earlier talks marked the first direct high-level U.S.-Iranian meetings in more than a decade.
"This is a very fair and reasonable deal," Trump said in his post. "If they don’t take it, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran."
Pakistani authorities have not issued a detailed public statement on the latest developments, though the country has previously facilitated the negotiations. Security measures have reportedly been heightened in Islamabad in anticipation of possible high-level talks.
The White House did not provide further details on the exact timing or agenda for the Monday meetings. Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed attendance.
As of Sunday, no additional information was available on whether the ceasefire would be extended or on the current status of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. delegation's travel and any resulting meetings are expected to proceed as announced, officials said.
