The deadlock over peace talks appears to have ended with the United States and Iran announcing sending delegations to Islamabad to continue peace talks this weekend.
US Special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are set to participate in talks this weekend with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, CNN reported citing US officials.
However, Iranian media said no talks are scheduled to take place between the two rival parties during Araghchi's scheduled visit.
Witkoff and Kushner going, Vance on hold
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed in an interview that Witkoof and Kushner will be conducting peace talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi on Saturday.
“We’re hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward to a deal,” Leavitt told Fox News Channel.
While Trump is sending the two envoys to Islamabad, Vice President JD Vance, who led the previous delegation, will be on a standby to travel if talks progresses.
Leavitt said Vance would not be traveling but that he remains “deeply involved.” The White House official said he will be in the US, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the president’s national security team, on “standby” to fly to Pakistan “if necessary.”
Officials in Pakistan have said that they expect a second round of peace talks between the US and Iran, while declining to add when the negotiations would happen or at what level.
Araghchi's planned visit to Pakistan
{{/usCountry}}Officials in Pakistan have said that they expect a second round of peace talks between the US and Iran, while declining to add when the negotiations would happen or at what level.
Araghchi's planned visit to Pakistan
{{/usCountry}}Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is travelling to Pakistan, Oman and Russia to "closely coordinate" with them on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments.
"Embarking on timely tour of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow," Araghchi wrote on X ahead of his departure from Tehran.
"Purpose of my visits is to closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments. Our neighbours are our priority," he said.
A senior official of the Pakistani government said that Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday night with a small delegation.
"Following key discussions with the Pakistani mediation team, a second round of peace talks between the US and Iran is expected to be held in Islamabad," the official told PTI news agency.
The first round of talks between the US and Iran was held on April 11-12, but failed to produce a breakthrough. On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.