US President Donald Trump is sending his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and advisor, Jared Kushner, to Pakistan for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to a report published on Friday.
The talks are slated to begin this weekend, CNN reported, citing two anonymous US officials. Vice President JD Vance will not participate because Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, whom the Trump administration considers to be Vance’s counterpart, will not attend, according to CNN.
Still, Vance will be ready to fly to Islamabad should there be sufficient momentum in the talks, the officials said. Members of his staff will be present among the US delegation during the talks.
Araghchi is slated to begin on Friday evening a regional tour starting in Pakistan before traveling to Oman and Russia.
“Purpose of my visits is to closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments. Our neighbors are our priority,” he wrote on X.
Prior to the announcement, Tehran and Islamabad were engaged in intense diplomacy. Araghchi held a phone call with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, discussing regional developments, the ceasefire and ongoing diplomatic efforts, according to Pakistani officials.
He also held separate talks with Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, though no details were disclosed. Based on these contacts, Pakistani government sources told Anadolu that Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday.
Pakistan is stepping up efforts to revive a second round of talks between Iran and the US. The sources said discussions with Tehran could pave the way for renewed negotiations following the first round of direct talks held in Islamabad on April 11-12.
Those talks came after Pakistan brokered a two-week ceasefire on April 8, which was later extended by Trump without a specified timeline. The developments come amid ongoing tensions since the outbreak of war on Feb. 28, with efforts focused on reaching a broader agreement to end hostilities.