President Donald Trump declined to confirm or deny reports that Vice President JD Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff may be heading to Pakistan for crucial diplomatic discussions aimed at ending the ongoing conflict with Iran, as per NYP.
The moment came during a recent interaction with reporters, where Trump chose to move on without addressing the query directly. This has sparked fresh speculation about high-level U.S. engagement in the region, with Pakistan playing a key mediating role.
Background: Pakistan Emerges as Key Mediator in US-Iran Talks
Pakistan has been actively facilitating backchannel communications between Washington and Tehran. Reports indicate that Islamabad is helping circulate a 15-point U.S. peace plan to Iranian officials. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff himself confirmed during a White House Cabinet meeting that the framework has been shared through Pakistani channels, describing the messaging as “strong and positive.”
Recent developments suggest that a potential peace summit could take place in Islamabad, with Vice President JD Vance being positioned as a possible lead figure for the U.S. side. Some sources note that Iranian officials have expressed preference for engaging directly with Vance, viewing him as a pragmatic voice less inclined toward prolonged Middle East interventions.
Trump has repeatedly emphasized that he alone decides who represents the U.S. in negotiations. He has publicly mentioned that Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Witkoff, and Jared Kushner are all involved in the broader efforts to secure a deal that prevents Iran from developing nuclear weapons.