JD Vance To Lead US Delegation For Negotiation With Iran In Pakistan: White House

US-Iran-Israel War: US Vice President JD Vance will lead the Washington delegation for the peace talks with Iran in Islamabad on Saturday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday.

While addressing a press briefing, Leavitt confirmed that US President Donald Trump is “dispatching his negotiating team”, led by the Vice President to Islamabad for talks this weekend.

She said that along with Vance, who she called as President Donald Trump’s “right-hand man”, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner will be part of the delegation.

“I can announce that the President is dispatching his negotiating team, led by the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Special Envoy Witkoff, and Mr Kushner,

to Islamabad for talks this weekend. The first round of those talks will take place on Saturday morning, local time, and we look forward to those in-person meetings,” Leavitt said.

When asked about security concerns regarding sending Vance to Pakistan, Leavitt said that the administration fully trusts the US Secret Service to keep the Vice President and the entire negotiating team safe.

However, as per Tehran state media, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is expected to lead Tehran’s delegation, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also joining the talks. As per the reports, Iran is said to prefer Vance to lead negotiations on behalf of the US, accusing Witkoff and Kushner of misrepresenting Tehran’s positions. Vance is also one of the only administration officials who is reported to have opposed launching the war against Iran.

It’s the highest-level meeting between the US and Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, as ceasefire negotiations hit a crucial tipping point that could lead to the resumption and escalation of the war if the high-stakes talks fail.

The meeting came after Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, on the condition that Tehran agrees to a “complete, immediate, and safe opening” of the Strait of Hormuz. Talks are being mediated by Pakistan.

“Subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The ceasefire appeared to be holding on Wednesday after both sides agreed to the temporary truce. However, Iranian officials signalled that a lasting agreement would depend on further negotiations.

Iran has agreed to briefly reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a move that helped ease global oil prices and triggered a relief rally in financial markets. However, major sticking points remain, including sanctions, Iran’s nuclear programme, and long-term control of the waterway.