US Vice President J.D. Vance warned Iran on Friday, “Don’t play with us,” as he departed for Islamabad, Pakistan, to lead high-stakes negotiations aimed at ending the weeks-long conflict in the Middle East.The US Vice President said while boarding the presidential plane: “We are looking forward to the negotiations. I think they will be positive. We will see, of course.”
He watches
“The ball is in Iran’s court”: J.D. Vance before the Islamabad negotiations
“As the president of the United States has said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we certainly are willing to extend an open hand,” Vance said, citing Donald Trump.He added, “If they try to manipulate us, they will find that the negotiating team is not receptive. We will try to conduct positive negotiations.”Vance said Trump gave the delegation “some clear guidelines” on how the talks would proceed, though he did not elaborate.
The visit comes after the White House announced on Wednesday that Trump had tasked Vance with helping to find a solution to the six-week-old war, even as the US president escalated his rhetoric, including threats to wipe out “Iran’s entire civilization.”
A high-level delegation heads to Pakistan
Vance is leading the US delegation to Pakistan for mediated talks, and is joined by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and former Senior Advisor Jared Kushner.
The White House has provided limited details on whether the talks will be direct or indirect, but officials say teams from the National Security Council, State Department and Pentagon will also support the negotiations.
Fragile ceasefire?
The talks come amid a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has created a narrow window for diplomacy. However, there are still significant differences.Iran insists that any truce must include an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon, while Israel and the United States have refused to link the two matters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that operations against Hezbollah will continue.Meanwhile, Washington has demanded that Iran ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route that Tehran had restricted amid escalating tensions.Trump on Thursday criticized Iran’s handling of maritime traffic, saying it was “doing a very bad job” of allowing oil tankers to pass, adding on social media: “This is not the deal we have.”Vance’s trip represents a rare moment of high-level engagement between the United States and Iran.
The Associated Press reported that direct contact between the two countries has been limited since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and only occasional breakthroughs such as talks were made during the Obama administration.
reconnaissance
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Despite diplomatic efforts, analysts say the road to a permanent agreement remains bumpy, with both sides under political pressure and key issues, including regional conflicts and nuclear concerns, remaining unresolved.For now, the Islamabad talks are seen as a crucial test of whether the fragile ceasefire can hold and evolve into a more sustainable peace.
