Vice President JD Vance was called back to the White House on Tuesday, delaying his planned trip to lead U.S. negotiations with Iran in Islamabad amid uncertainty over Iranian participation.
Vance was expected to board a plane and head a U.S. negotiating team in Pakistan’s capital, but the trip was unexpectedly halted. CNN reported that it remains unclear whether the diplomatic mission will proceed at all.
“We don’t know if this trip is definitely off,” CNN’s Alayna Treene said. “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.”
What Derailed the Negotiations
Iran refused to agree to the central U.S. demand: an affirmative commitment that the country will not pursue nuclear weapons. “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 U.S. has escalated pressure by blocking maritime traffic to Iranian ports. U.S. Central Command reported on Tuesday that American forces instructed 28 ships to turn around or return to port.
A U.S. official stated that if any vessels entered Iranian waters, they would be unable to exit through the Gulf of Oman due to the blockade, though the official did not confirm whether any ships had successfully entered ports.
Iran’s Uncertain Response
The two-week ceasefire between the U.S., Israel, and Iran is set to expire Wednesday, but Iranian officials have not confirmed whether they will attend the Islamabad talks. Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said a “formal response from the Iranian side about confirmation of delegation to attend Islamabad Peace Talks is still awaited” as of Tuesday evening.
Pakistani mediators remained in “constant touch” with Iranian representatives, Baloch said, emphasizing the talks were “critical.” However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized the negotiations on X, writing: “The level of understanding and comprehension of the requesters from Iran regarding their presence in Islamabad is even lower than Trump’s level of understanding and comprehension.”
Diplomatic Push and Trump’s Position
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, who heads the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, met with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday to discuss ongoing diplomatic efforts. 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,” according to a Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.
Dar urged both the U.S. and Iran to consider extending the ceasefire and give diplomacy additional time to work. President Trump has signaled opposition to an extension, instead pushing for a permanent resolution.
“We don’t have that much time,” Trump told CNBC regarding a ceasefire extension, which he said would end Wednesday. “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.”