US Vice President J.D. Vance, who is to lead the American delegation in negotiations with Iran, has flown to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.
This is reported by CNN.
Vance noted that he hopes for a positive meeting.
“We look forward to the negotiations. I think they will be positive. As the US president said, if the Iranians are ready to negotiate in a spirit of goodwill, we are certainly ready to extend a hand. If they try to manipulate us, they will find that the negotiating team is not so receptive (to this, – ed.),” he said.
According to the US vice president, Trump gave the American delegation, which also includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and the US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, “clear instructions” for the negotiations.
“We're going to try to have constructive talks. The president has given us pretty clear instructions, and we'll see what comes of it,” Vance said.
On the night of April 8, Trump announced that he had agreed to suspend the bombing of Iran and postpone the attack on it for two weeks. He said that the ceasefire would be bilateral, and that Iran's 10-point proposal was an acceptable basis for negotiations.
According to Trump, he did this because the US “has already achieved and exceeded all military objectives” and has made progress in working on an agreement on a long-term settlement with Iran.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council has confirmed a two-week ceasefire deal brokered by Pakistan. The Iranian side called the agreement “a victory for Iran” and added that talks on a permanent agreement would take place in Islamabad.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the country supports US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend strikes on Iran for two weeks – on the condition that Tehran “immediately opens the straits and ceases all attacks on the United States, Israel and countries in the region.”
On April 8, Trump made a statement following his announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran. He called it a “great day for peace around the world,” adding that Tehran's pursuit of peace paves the way for global economic change.
The White House later announced that Trump was sending a delegation led by Vance to Islamabad for talks with Iran. The delegation also includes special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
What is known about Trump's ultimatum to Iran
The 10-day deadline set by the American leader to stop attacks on Iranian energy facilities expired on the evening of April 6. However, due to the lack of progress in concluding the agreement, Trump extended the deadline by 20 hours – until the evening of April 7.
Axios reported that the US, Iran and a group of regional mediators are discussing the terms of a 45-day ceasefire that “could be a step toward ending the war.”
Axios also wrote that the US president faces a major decision that must be made on short notice — to carry out his threat to destroy Iran's infrastructure starting at 8:00 PM Eastern Time, or to postpone his deadline again to give negotiations a chance.
Trump has threatened to destroy all bridges and power plants in Iran, as well as take other measures that will have devastating consequences for the Iranians and provoke a dangerous response throughout the region.
On April 6, Iran provided the US and Israel with a separate 10-point plan to end the war over Pakistan.
Israeli and US military operation against Iran
On February 28, Israel attacked the Iranian capital Tehran. US President Donald Trump later said that the US military had launched a “major combat operation” against Iran to “eliminate imminent threats from the Iranian regime”. He accused the Iranian government of “funding and training” militants in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Hamas in Palestine. According to him, the aim of the military operation is to “destroy Iran's missile industry and navy” and “ensure that the world cannot be destabilised”.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched missiles and drones towards Israel, and also attacked US military bases in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Amid the US military operation against Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris is calling for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.
The European Union said it reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to ensuring regional security and stability” in the Middle East.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was fair to give the Iranians a chance to get rid of “the terrorist regime and guarantee the security of all peoples who have suffered from attacks from Iran.”
On February 28, Trump announced that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was dead, a claim later confirmed by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
On March 1, the IRGC announced that it was launching “the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic” against Israel and “American terrorist bases.” Trump called on the Iranian regime to abandon these plans and threatened to strike “a very strong blow” in response.
On March 2, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the next phase of the US military operation against Iran would be even more destructive.
On March 6, Trump declared the need for a complete change in Iran's leadership, adding that he already had several candidates for the role of “a good leader.”
On March 8, Iran's Assembly of Experts elected the son of the assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the third supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.
Trump declined to comment on the election of Mojtaba Khamenei, saying only: “We'll see what happens.” Before that, the American president said that the new leader of Iran “won't last long” if he doesn't receive the approval of the White House.
On March 26, President Trump announced that he was suspending the destruction of Iranian energy facilities until April 6. He said he made this decision at the request of the Iranian government, and negotiations are ongoing.