Vice President JD Vance will join special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, in Pakistan on Saturday for high-stakes talks aimed at ending the war in Iran.
The negotiations come amid a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran reached late Tuesday.
Whether that ceasefire will hold through Saturday remains uncertain. Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who helped broker the agreement, said Wednesday that violations have already been reported.
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"I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict," he said.
Vice President Vance said there have been disputes over what the ceasefire covers, particularly regarding Israel’s operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. He said neither the United States nor Israel agreed to include Lebanon in the ceasefire framework, despite Iran’s claims.
Iranian state media reported that the country has shut down the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon.
RELATED STORY | Iran reportedly closes Strait of Hormuz as ceasefire agreement remains in peril
The strait has been a key flashpoint during the conflict, as roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes through it. Disruptions have driven fuel prices higher since the war began more than a month ago.
Before the ceasefire, Trump issued a blunt warning to Iran, saying the country would be “living in hell” if it did not reopen the waterway.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president has been briefed on reports that the strait is closed. She said public statements from Iranian state media differ from what Iranian officials are saying privately.
