International
oi-Ashish Rana
Even as US President Donald Trump said Vice President JD Vance would not travel to Islamabad for the second round of Iran-related talks on Monday, a White House official appeared to contradict him by earlier indicating that Vance would indeed be part of the delegation. The mixed messaging has added fresh uncertainty around the US team expected to head to Pakistan for the sensitive negotiations.
US President Donald Trump stated VP JD Vance will not attend the second round of Iran talks in Islamabad due to security concerns, contradicting earlier White House reports; Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are now expected to lead the US delegation, while Pakistan tightens security.
Confusion Over Who Will Lead US Delegation
Trump told ABC News on Sunday that JD Vance would not be leading the American delegation for the upcoming round of talks in Islamabad. According to the US President, the Vice President’s absence is purely due to security concerns.
“It’s only because of security,” Trump told ABC News, explaining why Vance would not be making the trip. “JD’s great,” he added.
However, this stood in contrast to earlier comments from a White House official, who had said that Vance, along with special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would be travelling to Pakistan for the talks. Earlier in the day, US envoy to the United Nations Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright had also indicated that Vance was expected to lead the round of negotiations beginning Monday in Islamabad.
Steve Witkoff And Jared Kushner Still Expected To Travel
With Trump ruling out Vance’s participation for now, the US delegation is expected to be led instead by two of his close confidants, both of whom remain central to his diplomatic outreach.
That means Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are still expected to travel to Islamabad for the talks. Both have played key roles in Trump’s foreign policy efforts and are now likely to represent Washington in the next phase of the discussions.
The latest round follows an earlier meeting held last weekend, which reportedly ended without any breakthrough.
Vance Faced Backlash After First Round
JD Vance had already drawn attention after the first round of talks, not only because of his role in the discussions but also due to remarks that triggered criticism online.
Vance, who is generally seen as less enthusiastic than Trump about the war, was trolled after comparing Iran’s demands on uranium enrichment for nuclear energy to his wife’s “right to skydive”. The comment drew mockery on social media and became a talking point after the inconclusive first round of negotiations.
Iran Signals Diplomacy Will Continue Despite Gaps
Iran has not officially confirmed the Islamabad talks yet, but senior officials have indicated that diplomatic channels remain open despite major disagreements.
Iran’s chief negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf said in an interview aired on state television late Saturday that “there will be no retreat in the field of diplomacy”, even as he acknowledged that a wide gap remained between the two sides.
The statement suggests that Tehran is still willing to engage, though expectations for a major breakthrough remain low given the unresolved differences.
Islamabad Tightens Security Ahead Of Talks
As uncertainty over the US delegation continues, preparations on the ground in Pakistan appear to be moving ahead at full pace.
According to Reuters, Pakistani authorities have already begun tightening security in Islamabad ahead of the planned talks. A regional official involved in the arrangements said mediators were “finalising preparations”, while US advance security teams were “already on the ground”.
The developments indicate that despite conflicting signals from Washington, diplomatic and logistical preparations for the second round are actively underway.
