Vice President JD Vance is heading to Islamabad this week for high-stakes negotiations aimed at preventing a new round of U.S. military strikes on Iran, three U.S. sources confirm. The timing is critical, with the current ceasefire set to expire on Tuesday and President Trump threatening to bomb Iranian bridges and power plants if diplomacy fails.
The window for a breakthrough is razor-thin. While negotiating a comprehensive deal in days would normally be impossible, Trump has shown flexibility on the deadline itself, already extending it by a day after initially saying the two-week ceasefire would end Tuesday. He suggested Wednesday evening as the new cutoff, leaving room for progress talks to continue.
Tehran had been dragging its feet throughout Monday, with sources attributing the delay to pressure from Iran's Revolutionary Guards, who were pushing negotiators to demand an end to U.S. economic blockades before engaging seriously. Three separate mediators, Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, pressed the Iranian delegation to participate. The Iranian team ultimately won approval from the supreme leader to attend, clearing the way for Vance's trip.
Trump's top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are also expected in Islamabad for the talks. The full U.S. negotiating team signals how seriously the administration is taking the moment. Sources differ on Vance's exact departure timing, with some saying early Tuesday morning and others suggesting he could leave late Monday night.
The stakes are enormous. A collapse in talks would trigger military action that could destabilize the Middle East further and complicate Trump's broader foreign policy agenda. Yet the presence of mediators and Iran's decision to send negotiators suggest both sides see value in trying to reach an understanding before gunfire resumes.
Author James Rodriguez: "This is Trump's preferred style, high-wire diplomacy backed by a credible threat of force, and Vance moving into the region shows the White House is all in on a deal."
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