White House confirms U.S.–Iran talks this weekend

The White House said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump is sending Vice President JD Vance and other top negotiators to Pakistan for talks with Iran this weekend aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire.

According to Politico, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced this during a briefing, Ukrinform reports.

Leavitt confirmed U.S. participation in the talks, which will take place in Islamabad starting Saturday morning local time.

She said that Vance will be joined in Pakistan by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the President’s son-in-law.

Leavitt dismissed reports by Iranian media that Iran had once again closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to intensified Israeli strikes on targets in Lebanon, calling such actions “completely unacceptable.”

According to her, Trump “wants to see the strait reopened immediately without limitation and that’s something we’re going to hold them to.”

She also noted that Lebanon is not a party to the temporary ceasefire agreement.

Saying that the operation, which lasted nearly six weeks, “achieved and exceeded its core military objectives,” Leavitt acknowledged that the ceasefires are “fragile by nature” and warned that a long-term truce to end the war would take time.

As reported by Ukrinform, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States would strike if Iran attempts to use the ceasefire to regroup its forces.