The White House confirmed Friday that special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Islamabad for a second round of negotiations aimed at ending the war with Iran, with talks to be intermediated by Pakistani officials.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the pair will depart “again tomorrow morning” to engage in direct discussions mediated by Pakistan, which has acted as a key facilitator in organizing the meetings. “The Iranians want to talk,” Leavitt told reporters, adding that the administration has seen “some progress from the Iranian side in the last couple of days” and that the president sent Witkoff and Kushner “to hear the Iranians out.”
Vice President J.D. Vance will not attend the talks but will remain on standby, Leavitt said. The president, vice president and secretary of state will monitor developments from Washington, and Vance stands ready to be dispatched to Pakistan if the administration deems it necessary. A U.S. logistics and security team is reported to already be in Islamabad to support the negotiations.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Islamabad on Friday as part of a regional tour that also includes Muscat and Moscow. Pakistani sources and Iranian state media said Araghchi’s visit is intended for bilateral consultations and to coordinate Iranian proposals with Pakistan and other partners ahead of the Islamabad-mediated exchange. Reuters reported that Iran plans to present terms for a peace deal, and President Trump told the news agency that Iran “is making an offer” that could satisfy U.S. demands.
Leavitt emphasized U.S. conditions for any agreement, saying the deal must include Iran turning over nuclear material and committing not to build a nuclear weapon. The talks come amid an extended ceasefire and ongoing U.S. pressure, including a naval blockade of Iranian ports, as the administration seeks a negotiated end to hostilities.