What are the expectations in the US from this meeting?
On Friday, US Vice President JD Vance traveled to Pakistan to attempt to strike a deal with Iran to resolve the nuclear dispute and end the war. Meanwhile, officials from Tehran are already in the country where the negotiations will take place.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing Axios and CNN.
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“For JD Vance, this is a very important event. He is going to the Super Bowl,” a US official commented to Axios.
According to the publication, this will be the most significant high-level interaction between US and Iranian officials since 1979. However, the chances of success seem low. Both sides understand that the risk of failure is the resumption of war, and their views on peace diverge.
“We still have not reached an agreement on the issue we are negotiating,” said another American official.
Negotiations are expected to begin on Saturday in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. The parties will negotiate directly, with Pakistani officials acting as mediators.
Vance will be accompanied by Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The delegation also includes representatives from the National Security Council, the State Department, and the Pentagon.
“We look forward to the negotiations. I think they will go positively… If the Iranians are ready to negotiate in good faith, we are ready to extend a helping hand… but if they try to manipulate us, they will find that the negotiating team is not so receptive to that,” Vance said.
It is also known that JD Vance is leading the US delegation. One reason for this approach was the tension between Trump’s envoys and the Iranians after two previous rounds of negotiations that ended in war.
Iranian officials told the mediators that they believe Witkoff and Kushner deceived them. However, given Vance’s status and his skepticism about the onset of war, the vice president’s participation could facilitate progress.
“Vance asked for the ball, and he got it. He can take responsibility for concluding a deal that ends the war,” said an American official.
While Vance’s dispatch signals the seriousness of US intentions, some officials are concerned that sending such a high-ranking figure may be premature, as preliminary preparations for the negotiations are not yet complete.
American officials also say it remains unclear whether any significant progress can be made in the first round of negotiations. However, they hope it will not just be a ceremonial meeting. Achieving a deal is expected to take weeks, if not months.
Meanwhile, CNN reports that the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has already arrived in Islamabad. He is also accompanied by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other high-ranking officials.
Ceasefire and Negotiations
Recall that on the night of April 8, US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran. According to him, during this time, a final deal should be agreed upon.
Additionally, Trump made new comments last night. He stated that the Strait of Hormuz will be open regardless of US cooperation and added that the main issue in the negotiations is the topic of nuclear weapons in Tehran.
