E-Paper
‘Things changed’: Vance to go to Pakistan for Iran talks after Trump says ‘no’ first
A back-and-forth ensued amid reports that Trump himself might be going now or later, if and when a deal is struck with Tehran for an end to the war.
After some confusion caused by his boss, US Vice President JD Vance will indeed lead a delegation for a second round talks with Iran in Pakistan, the White House has said.
This was after President Donald Trump said "no" at first on Sunday in at least two interviews. The White House later told another news channel that Vance “will attend” the talks in Pakistan along with Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Trump had denied that the Veep would attend the latest round of talks, citing security concerns. Later, a White House official was quoted as saying by CNN: “Things changed.”
The back-and-forth came amid reports that Trump himself might be going now or later; and the US Secret Service did not want the two of them at the same place at the same time — thus the reference to “security concern”. Trump earlier in the week said he “might be going” to Pakistan if a deal were to be struck. Hence, if Trump were to ultimately decide to travel, it’s likely Vance would need to return to the US first.
Vance's weird analogy
The first round of talks in Islamabad, held last weekend, yielded no results and Vance — generally considered much less excited than Trump about American “interventions” such as the Iran war — was trolled for likening Iran's demands on uranium-enrichment to his wife’s “right to skydive”.
The new negotiations will come over a week after Round 1 ended without a deal to end the conflict.
Trump's two special envoys will indeed be going: his fellow businessmen-friend Steve Witkoff, and daughter Ivanka trump's husband Jared Kushner.
They were also part of Vance-led talks earlier this month where the US insisted that Iran give up its rights to enrich nuclear fuel. Iran has said the uranium is for nuclear-power sovereignty, and not for a bomb.
Speaking to reporters about that first round, on April 8 Vance addressed Iran's insistence that any peace deal must preserve its right to nuclear energy. He compared the situation to his wife Usha Vance's “right to skydive” — arguing that having a right does not mean you must exercise it, because “I don't want my wife jumping out of an airplane.”
Commentators and analysts online and on TV squinted at his comments, for he was seen as trivialising a serious issue.
Plus, "is Vance saying that men should control their wives like property?", multiple people on X asked.
Fate of US-Iran next round of talks
As for Round 2, Iran did not immediately confirm the talks but its chief negotiator, 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", while acknowledging a wide gap remained between the sides.
Pakistani authorities have begun tightening security in Islamabad, Reuters reported. A regional official involved in the efforts was quoted as saying that mediators were “finalising preparations”, and US advance security teams were “already on the ground”.
The two-week ceasefire agreed by the US and Iran on April 8 ends on April 22.
After the first round of talks led by Vance went on for 21 hours but failed to reach a deal, Pakistan had re-launched its diplomatic efforts for another round of talks in Islamabad.
Since April 15, PM Shehbaz Sharif visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, while military boss Field Marshal Asim Munir spent three days in Iran.
A standoff over the Strait of Hormuz — a key waterway that remains a sticking point — escalated on Saturday as Iran fired on ships attempting to cross the channel, while US also pushed ahead with its own blockade of the Iranian ports. Trump slammed the Iranian forces and said they had violated the truce.
"We're offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don't, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR NICE GUY," the US President wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
Vance and Trump on war and peace
Vance and Trump have reportedly had differences over wars such as the one launched on Iran with varied objectives. Vance had championed Trump in the presidential race by saying in 2023 that the best way to prevent a World War was to vote for Trump: “Our interest is very much in not going to war with Iran.”
Trump ran on the promise of “no new wars”. After taking office, he not only struck Iran, but moved against Venezuela too, and rattled sabers over Greenland, Panama, and Cuba.
Vance, who reportedly opposed the Iran war internally, has since defended it publicly.
The tension, however, has spilled into public view.
At a Turning Point USA event last week, where Trump spoke about “UFO files”, Vance was separately heckled by audience members shouting “you're killing children!” and “Jesus Christ does not support genocide”.
He said, “I recognise that young voters do not love the policy we have in the Middle East. I understand.” The unpopularity of the Iran war among Americans reflected also in recent surveys.
