White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday that the administration will begin negotiations with Iran in Pakistan on Saturday.
Special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and special envoy for peace Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan on Saturday to negotiate with the Iranian delegation on a potential peace agreement. Leavitt said on Fox News’ “America Reports” that the Iranians requested this in-person meeting and the administration is hopeful that the talks will be “productive.”
“Yes, I can confirm special envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be off to Pakistan again tomorrow morning to engage in talks, direct talks intermediated by the Pakistanis who have been incredible friends and mediators throughout this entire process with representatives from the Iranian delegation,” Leavitt said. “Look, the Iranians reached out as the president called on them to do and asked for this in-person conversation, so the president is dispatching Steve and Jared to go hear what they have to say and we’re hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward towards a deal.”
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Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11 to negotiate an end to the war, though he said no agreement was reached because Iran refused to abandon its nuclear program. This trip marks the administration’s second attempt at peace negotiations, though Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that Trump is not “anxious” to reach a deal.
Trump extended the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran on Tuesday, as well as the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil exports. Iran’s leadership was reportedly divided on whether to continue negotiations since the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) demanded that the U.S. lift its blockade before any talks could continue.
Israel continued to target Lebanon after Trump announced the initial two-week ceasefire with Iran on April 7, jeopardizing the fragile truce between the two warring nations. Trump announced that the two nations had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on April 16 after Secretary of State Marco Rubio mediated talks with ambassadors from the warring nations in Washington, D.C., on April 14.
The U.S. blockade was imposed on April 12 after Iran imposed a toll on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The blockade caused the average gas price to surge over 30% in the U.S., with the average price costing $4.05 as of Friday, according to AAA. Trump’s approval ratings on the economy have dropped significantly since the war began.
