An Iranian delegation arrived in Pakistan on Friday for talks to revive ceasefire negotiations, two Pakistani government sources told Reuters. The delegation includes Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Araghchi “will hold meetings with Pakistan’s senior leadership to discuss the latest regional developments as well as ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability”, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, without directly referencing talks with Washington emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
This comes after it was announced that US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will travel to Islamabad on Saturday morning for talks with Iran, mediated by Pakistan, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Leavitt said the Trump administration has seen “some progress” from the Iranian side in the last couple of days, without elaborating.
“Steve and Jared will be heading to Pakistan tomorrow to hear the Iranians out. We hope progress will be made, and we hope that positive developments will come from this meeting,” she told reporters.
Leavitt said that Vice President JD Vance remained ready to fly to Pakistan but will not do so for now.
Leavitt said Vance, who led a first round of unsuccessful talks with Iran in Islamabad earlier this month, is ready to travel to Pakistan to join talks if they prove successful.
“The president, the vice president, the secretary of state, will be waiting here in the United States for updates, and the vice president, I understand, is on standby and will be willing to dispatch to Pakistan if we feel it’s a necessary use of his time,” Leavitt said.
“Everyone will be on standby to fly to Pakistan if necessary,” she said.
Trump told Reuters on Friday that Iran plans to make an offer aimed at satisfying US demands. “They’re making an offer, and we’ll have to see,” Trump said during a phone interview.
When asked who the US was negotiating with, Trump said: “I don’t want to say that, but we’re dealing with the people that are in charge now.”
The president unilaterally extended a two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday at the 11th hour to allow more time for negotiations to end the war.
