- US delegation led by JD Vance to travel to Islamabad for talks.
- Iran expresses deep mistrust of US signals, doubts negotiations.
- Iran’s speaker warns against surrender, threatens ‘battlefield cards’.
- Ceasefire extended to allow for critical Islamabad discussions.
US Vice-President JD Vance is expected to travel to Islamabad on Tuesday at the head of a high-level American delegation, contingent on Iran agreeing to continue negotiations in the Pakistani capital as a fragile ceasefire nears its expiry on April 22.
Vance is set to be joined by Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. However, uncertainty lingers after Iran’s leadership reiterated its deep scepticism towards Washington.
Iran Voices Mistrust Amid Mixed US Signals
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian underscored what he described as a “deep historical mistrust” of the United States, pointing to what he called “unconstructive and contradictory signals” from American officials. He suggested these messages implied an attempt to force Tehran into submission. “Iranians do not submit to force,” Pezeshkian said.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran was “positively reviewing” whether to attend the proposed talks. Reports indicate that, should the meeting proceed, Iran’s delegation would again be led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Ghalibaf later reinforced Tehran’s stance, stating that Iran would not engage in negotiations under threat. Writing on X early Tuesday, he warned that the country was ready to “reveal new cards on the battlefield”. He also accused Trump of attempting to turn negotiations into what he described as a “table of surrender” or a pretext for further conflict.
Meanwhile, Tehran has called for an end to the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, for his part, has maintained that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and indicated he would be open to meeting Iranian leaders personally.
Trump Creates Confusion
Confusion briefly arose over the timing of the US delegation’s travel after Trump told the New York Post that Vance and his team were “heading over now”. US officials later clarified that, although a Monday departure had been discussed, Vance is expected to leave on Tuesday morning, provided the talks are confirmed.
If they proceed, the second round of high-stakes negotiations, aimed at ending a conflict triggered by US and Israeli strikes in late February, could take place on Wednesday. The possibility of renewed fighting continues to loom large.
Trump has said the current two-week ceasefire with Iran will now expire on Wednesday evening, Washington time, extending the truce by 24 hours to allow space for the critical discussions in Islamabad.