Washington, DC [US], April 19 (ANI): US Vice President J.D. Vance is set to arrive in Islamabad on Monday evening to lead a high-level American delegation in a second round of ceasefire negotiations with Iran, CNN reported, citing the White House on Sunday.
The visit comes as the current two-week ceasefire window, brokered on April 8, is set to expire on April 22. The atmosphere surrounding the talks has grown increasingly combative following reported ceasefire violations and a public ultimatum from President Donald Trump.
The US team, which includes Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, aims to break a deadlock that paralyzed the first round of talks, CNN reported. The primary sticking points remain Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the status of the Strait of Hormuz.
CNN also reported that Iranian sources suggest a delegation will arrive on Tuesday to discuss an extension. However, hardliners in Tehran, cited by Tasnim News Agency, have pushed back, stating that no talks will proceed while the US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect.
In a Sunday interview with Fox News, President Trump alluded to internal divisions within Iran, citing a struggle between “moderates” and “crazies” as a factor in the volatility of negotiations, while confirming that Kushner and Witkoff were departing for Islamabad.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned of severe repercussions, including potential attacks on Iranian energy and civilian infrastructure, if Iran “doesn’t take the deal.”
The president signaled that the era of “shadow diplomacy” is over, threatening the destruction of Iranian infrastructure if a deal is not signed immediately.
“If the deal isn’t done—the deal that we made—then I’m going to take out their bridges and their power plants,” Trump said. “If they don’t sign this thing, the whole country is going to get blown up,” Fox News cited him as saying.
“We’re preparing to hit them harder than any country has ever been hit before because you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon,” the US president added, according to the broadcaster. Trump also said that Iran has “agreed to much” of the deal already.
In another post on Truth Social, Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire agreement.
“Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz—a total violation of our ceasefire agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French ship and a freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it? My representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan—they will be there tomorrow evening for negotiations,” he said.
Trump claimed that the IRGC’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz is costing Iran USD 500 million per day, while asserting that the United States remains unaffected as tankers reroute to load in Texas and Alaska.
He reiterated that a “fair and reasonable” deal is on the table and warned of escalatory action if it is rejected.
“Iran recently announced that they were closing the strait, which is strange because our blockade has already closed it. They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage—$500 million a day! The United States loses nothing. In fact, many ships are headed right now to the US—Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska—to load up, compliments of the IRGC, always wanting to be ‘the tough guy!’ We’re offering a very fair and reasonable deal, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran. No more Mr. Nice Guy! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the deal, it will be my honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran by other presidents for the last 47 years. It’s time for the Iran killing machine to end!” Trump said.
The two-week ceasefire is set to expire on April 22. The first round of negotiations ended in a gridlock between Tehran and Washington over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
With the ceasefire set to lapse, the Islamabad talks represent a final diplomatic opportunity before a potential escalation into broader conflict targeting critical infrastructure.
As attention turns to Islamabad, the stakes remain high. While the United States maintains that a “fair and reasonable” deal is on the table, Iran’s reluctance to negotiate under the “shadow of a blockade” suggests that tensions may continue to escalate. (ANI)
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