Nobody's playing games: Trump says JD Vance, US team on way to Pak for talks

US President Donald Trump has signalled a willingness to meet Iranian leaders face to face if progress is made in the negotiations. This came just ahead of the high-stakes second round of negotiations in Islamabad.

In Short

• US delegation en route to Pakistan for talks with Iran
• Dipolmatic efforts for talks with Iran intensify ahead of ceasefire deadline
• Trump open to meeting Iranian leaders if talks progress

Ahead of high-stakes negotiations in Pakistan, US President Donald Trump has signalled a possible diplomatic opening with Iran, saying he is willing to meet senior Iranian leaders if ongoing talks deliver a breakthrough. Speaking to The New York Post, Trump confirmed that the US delegation -- including JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner -- is already on its way to Pakistan.

"They’re heading over now," Trump said shortly after 9 AM EST. "They’ll be there tonight, (Islamabad) time." However, a day earlier, he said that JD Vance would not travel to Pakistan. However, contrary to Trump's assertions, news agency Reuters reports that JD Vance is still in the US and has not departed for Pakistan.

IRAN FLAGS MAXIMALIST DEMANDS FROM US

Even as a US delegation heads to Pakistan for the second round of talks, Iran has yet to confirm its participation and appears to be stepping back from the process. According to Iranian state media, Tehran is not planning to join the upcoming negotiations, casting fresh doubt over diplomatic efforts.

"There are currently no plans to participate in the next round of Iran-US talks," state broadcaster IRIB said. Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, said the decision not to attend talks was due to "Washington’s excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the continuing naval blockade".

The US President dismissed concerns that the negotiations could collapse before they begin. "We’re supposed to have the talks," he said. "So I would assume at this point nobody’s playing games."

The first round of direct US-Iran talks, held last week in Islamabad, collapsed after more than 21 hours of intense negotiations failed to produce any agreement. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, said: "The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America."

TRUMP OPENS DOOR FOR DIRECT MEETING WITH IRANIAN LEADERS

Trump also left the door open for direct engagement at the highest level. "I have no problem meeting them," he said. "If they want to meet, and we have some very capable people -- but I have no problem meeting them."

Trump made clear that Iran’s nuclear programme remains the core issue for Washington. "Get rid of their nuclear weapons. That’s all very simple," he said. "There will be no nuclear weapon."

He added that Iran could benefit if it complies. "Otherwise, a wonderful country -- it truly could be," Trump said. In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said: "Israel never talked me into the war with Iran, the results of October 7th, added to my lifelong opinion that IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, did."

He explicitly called for "regime change" in Iran, suggesting that a shift in leadership could lead to a "great and prosperous future" for the country.

CEASEFIRE DEADLINE LOOMS

The talks come days before the deadline of a two-week US-Iran ceasefire, which ends on April 22. While Trump declined to outline specific consequences if negotiations fail, he hinted at serious repercussions. "Well, I don’t want to get into that with you," he said when asked about possible next steps. "You can imagine. It wouldn’t be pretty."

Asked about leadership on the Iranian side, Trump said the US believes it is engaging with the right counterparts. "We have pretty good ideas, and we think we’re dealing with the right people."

- Ends
With inputs from agencies