Iranian official says mediation efforts underway by Pakistan to end US blockade, ensure Tehran’s participation in talks
islamabad
A US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance is en route to Pakistan and expected to land in Islamabad within hours for the second round of talks with Iran, President Donald Trump said on Monday.
Trump confirmed the development in an interview with the New York Post, saying he would be willing to meet Iranian leaders himself if progress is made in the talks.
Apart from Vance, the US delegation includes Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, as per a report by Axios.
If reports about the other delegation members are accurate, it would mean the US delegation is the same as in the first round of Iran talks held in Islamabad on April 11.
However, a source familiar with the plan told AFP on Monday that a US delegation will head to Pakistan “soon” for a new round of peace negotiations with Iran.
Meanwhile, mediator Pakistan — which brokered a two-week ceasefire between the two sides on April 8 — was making efforts to end the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and to ensure Iran’s participation in the peace talks.
With the ceasefire set to expire, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran was “positively reviewing” its participation following Pakistan’s efforts, but no final decision had been made.
The comments conveyed a clear change of tone from earlier statements ruling out attendance and pledging to retaliate for US aggression.
Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, emphasising the importance of continued dialogue and engagement to resolve all pending issues.
