Vice President JD Vance was called back to the White House on Tuesday instead of boarding a plane to lead U.S. negotiations in Pakistan as uncertainty mounted over whether Iran would participate in the talks.
Vance was scheduled to travel to Islamabad to head the American negotiating team, but the trip was unexpectedly delayed. CNN’s Alayna Treene reported that the vice president will remain at the White House for meetings on Tuesday rather than departing as previously planned.
What Happened
Sources told Treene it remains unclear whether Vance’s trip will occur at all. “All we do know is that it is definitely delayed and that we should expect to see now the vice president at the White House for meetings today, not leaving this morning on that plane,” Treene said.
Vance indicated that Iran declined to commit to refraining from pursuing nuclear weapons-the central objective of American negotiators. “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” Vance said. “And I think that’s bad news for Iran, much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America.”
The Diplomatic Standoff
Pakistani officials said they were awaiting formal confirmation from Iran about whether its delegation would attend the Islamabad talks. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that mediators remained in “constant touch” with Iranian representatives and described the negotiations as “critical.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a critical statement on social media about the negotiations, writing that American understanding of Iran’s position was “even lower than Trump’s level of understanding.”
The U.S. has implemented a blockade of Iranian ports, with U.S. Central Command reporting that American forces ordered 28 ships to reverse course or return to port on Tuesday.
Timeline and Next Steps
A two-week ceasefire between the U.S., Israel, and Iran is set to expire Wednesday. President Trump has signaled he does not intend to extend it, instead seeking a permanent agreement.
“We don’t have that much time,” Trump told CNBC about extending the ceasefire. “Iran can get themselves on a very good footing if they make a deal. They can make themselves into a strong nation again, a wonderful nation again.”
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker met with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday to discuss ongoing diplomatic efforts. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Dar “underscored Pakistan’s consistent emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable means to address challenges and achieve lasting regional peace and stability.”
