President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and envoy Steve Witkoff are expected to arrive in Pakistan on Saturday for talks aimed at ending the war with Iran.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News that Kushner and Witkoff would be meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
This will be the second time Pakistan has hosted peace talks between the two countries. The first round, which included Vice President JD Vance, did not result in a long-term agreement. However, President Donald Trump has since extended the original two-week ceasefire, saying the U.S. is awaiting a unified response from Iran. He has claimed the Iranian government is fractured and said he is unsure who the legitimate leader is after airstrikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other high-ranking officials.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | US not counting on Europe in Iran war, third aircraft carrier arrives in region
The U.S. had previously set a number of red lines regarding Iran, including that it must abandon its nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that about 20% of the global fuel supply runs through.
Iran, meanwhile, has expressed a lack of trust in the U.S., which launched its initial attack with Israel on Feb. 28. It points to the blockade of Iranian ports, which it says is a violation of the original ceasefire.
RELATED STORY | Trump appears to rule out using nuclear weapons against Iran
On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said 34 ships had been turned back since the blockade began.
"The blockade is tightening by the hour. We are in control. Nothing in, nothing out,” Hegseth said.
Hegseth also echoed Trump's earlier comments that U.S. forces would fire on vessels attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
