Talks with Iran to resume

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will head back to Pakistan over the weekend to resume talks, as Vice President JD Vance remains on standby.

The group was scheduled to fly to Pakistan earlier in the week, when the trip was called off after President Donald Trump noted a fracture in the Iranian leadership.

On Tuesday, with just hours left before the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was set to expire, the president extended it, citing a “seriously fractured” Iranian government.

Trump did not indicate a timeline for the latest ceasefire, and has since said he will not be rushed – instead putting the pressure on Iran, saying time is not on their side.

Following the announcement that the Tuesday talks had been postponed, Trump said his administration would await Iran’s proposal before moving forward with negotiations.

“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” the president said in a statement.

Despite the extended ceasefire, the president remains committed to continuing the naval blockade on Iranian ports, put in place over two weeks ago.

Trump indicated that the U.S. stands “ready and able” during the ceasefire, waiting for a unified proposal to be submitted and until “discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”

The president has said Iran is losing approximately $500 million a day in oil sales as the blockade continues.