US To Send Witkoff, Kushner To Pakistan For New Talks, But Iran Participation Uncertain
by Alex Raufoglu · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · JoinWASHINGTON -- The United States will send a delegation to Pakistan this weekend for a new round of talks with Iranian officials, the White House said, as Washington tests whether a fragile cease-fire can translate into diplomatic progress.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on April 24 that the delegation would include President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, and would depart for Islamabad on April 25.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Islamabad late on April 24, but there was no immediate confirmation from Tehran that he or other officials would meet with the US delegation.
The spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry said Iranian officials did not plan to meet with the US team, although it was unclear if the statement represented the view of the government.
"No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," spokesman Esmail Baqaei wrote on X.
However, The Washington Post quoted an unnamed US official as saying Witkoff and Kushner had received confirmation from Tehran that Araqchi would meet with them.
US and Iranian teams held peace talks in Islamabad on April 11-12, but they ended without an agreement and a second round that had been expected earlier this week did not materialize.
US Vice President JD Vance, who led the US delegation then, was not traveling with Witkoff and Kushner but would be on "standby" and "will be willing to dispatch to Pakistan if we feel it's a necessary use of his time," Leavitt said.
Trump, Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio "will be waiting here in the United States for updates," she said.
Leavitt said Washington had seen "some progress" from the Iranian side in recent days, adding that it was Tehran that requested the new meeting.
"Iranians want to talk," she said. "We're hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and move the ball forward toward a deal," she said.
Trump later told Reuters that the Iranians were "making an offer" aimed at satisfying U.S. demands and "we'll have to see" how it looks.
Trump has said that in any deal to end hte US-Israeli war with Iran, which began on February 28, Iran must give up its enriched uranium and allow free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a cruicial oil and gas transit artery that Tehran has effectovely blocked through most of the conflict.
Asked who the United States was negotiating with, Trump said: "I don't want to say that, but we're dealing with the people that are in charge now," Reuters reported.
Tempered Expectations
Vance remaining in Washington unless negotiations reach a breakthrough stage is a decision analysts said reflects tempered expectations.
Ryan Bohl, a senior Middle East analyst at the risk management company RANE, described the move as a sign Washington is “in a reactive diplomatic state.”
“They're waiting for the Iranians to make some sort of first move or gesture,” Bohl told RFE/RL. “Sending a lower-level delegation suggests they want to test whether momentum is real without overcommitting political capital.”
“This is more of a listening session than a negotiation,” Jason Brodsky, policy director at the nonprofit United Against Nuclear Iran, told RFE/RL. “If the two parties were close to inking a deal, then senior leadership on both sides would be in the room.”
Bohl said the United States is unlikely to soften its core demands, including significant Iranian nuclear concessions and unilateral steps to ease tensions before sanctions relief is considered.
For analysts, the White House's statement that Tehran initiated the expected talks raised questions about whether Iran is seeking a genuine diplomatic off-ramp or simply buying time.
Bohl argued that while Iran faces long-term economic pressure, its short-term strategy favors delay.
“There is urgency economically, but not in the immediate sense,” he said. “Iran can afford to drag out talks as long as it avoids renewed military escalation.”
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Brodsky offered a slightly different view, pointing to the strain of US pressure following weeks of air strikes on Iran, which ended with a cease-fire that took effect on April 8 and that Trump extended before it was due to expire on April 22.
“The noose is tightening with the US naval blockade,” he said. “That sharpens the choices facing Iran’s leadership.”
The US has maintained that its blockade of Iranian ports remains fully in place, with Trump calling it “100 percent effective.” Iran says the blockade is a violation of the cease-fire and demanded it be lifted.
Lebanon And Beyond
The diplomatic push comes amid a fragile calm in the region, including a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon, home of Iran-backed Hezbollah -- but Lebanon's Health Ministry said six people were killd in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on April 24.
Bohl said that de-escalation on that front is critical to sustaining talks.
“It’s one of the few ways the US can build trust,” he said, noting deep Iranian skepticism about US intentions given continued American military deployments in the region.
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At the same time, divisions remain between Washington and Israel over how to handle Hezbollah -- a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. It is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union has only blacklisted its armed wing.which Tehran backs.
“The Israelis want to press their advantage,” Bohl said. “The US is more willing to preserve the cease-fire to keep diplomacy alive.”
Brodsky predicted Hezbollah will remain a destabilizing force regardless of the talks.
“As long as the current regime is in power in Iran, Hezbollah will continue to be a problem,” he said.
Araqchi is to travel to Oman and Russia following his visit to Pakistan. Bohl described the regional outreach as a mix of damage control and strategic hedging.
“They’re shoring up support,” he said. “Oman is about repairing regional relationships, while Russia is critical for economic and military backing if the confrontation drags on.”
Brodsky said the visits would likely focus on practical concerns, including the Strait of Hormuz and securing political support from Moscow.
US To Send Witkoff, Kushner To Pakistan For New Talks, But Iran Participation Uncertain
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