US Vice President JD Vance will lead the US delegation for talks with Iran in Pakistan, a White House official said Sunday, after President Donald Trump indicated Vance would not make the trip.
Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will attend the talks, a White House official told AFP on condition of anonymity when asked about the makeup of the delegation after Trump's comments.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump has said his representatives are going to Islamabad for negotiations. He said this is a Truth Social post, adding that they will be there “tomorrow evening for negotiations”.
President Donald Trump said US negotiators will be in Pakistan Monday to resume talks on ending the war with Iran, as he again threatened to destroy its power plants and bridges if no deal is reached.
In a social media post Sunday, Trump also accused Iran of violating the countries' two-week ceasefire with attacks Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said he was offering Iran "a reasonable deal" and if Tehran says no "the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"
Trump claimed, “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?” He then stated, “My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations.”
The US president recalled that Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait of Hormuz, which he said was “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 Dollars 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!’,” he added.
Trump insisted that the US was offering Iran “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 Honour 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!” he said.
Trump says blockade will remain until full agreement is reached
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that the current ceasefire will be considered over if no agreement is reached by Wednesday, while reaffirming that restrictions on Iranian ports will remain in place until a complete deal is secured.
According to a report, a high-level meeting chaired by the president was held in the White House Situation Room to review the evolving situation with Iran. The discussion focused on developments in the Strait of Hormuz and the progress of ongoing negotiations.
Senior officials attended the meeting, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine were also present.
Speaking to the media at the White House after the meeting, Mr Trump said Iran could not “blackmail” the United States and confirmed that talks were continuing. He stated that Washington had adopted a firm position in negotiations and did not require permission for its actions.
The president questioned why it had taken decades to confront Iran, adding that the United States was now taking decisive steps. He also hinted at a possible development, saying that a “significant surprise” related to Iran could be announced soon, with a “notable figure” expected to visit the White House.
Mr Trump further claimed that there had been agreement on several key points in the negotiations and suggested that remaining differences were not substantial.
The warning comes as the ceasefire deadline approaches, with uncertainty surrounding the outcome of talks and the future of regional stability.