WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance has departed from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for Pakistan, where he is expected to lead a US delegation in high-level peace talks with Iran.
The discussions aim to advance diplomatic efforts in the Middle East following a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire.
“We are looking forward to the negotiations. I think it’s going to be positive, as the President of the United States said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand. If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive,” JD Vance said while talking to reporters at the airport just before he departed for Pakistan.
.@VP departs for Islamabad, Pakistan: “As @POTUS said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand. If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive.” pic.twitter.com/9nNDGsMmId
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 10, 2026
Vance also said that Trump “gave us some pretty clear guidelines” on how talks should go, but he didn’t elaborate.
Vance is accompanied by President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who previously participated in three rounds of indirect talks with Iranian negotiators.
Trump ‘optimistic’ about US-Iran deal
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump told NBC News on Thursday he was “very optimistic” about a peace deal with Iran after the Pakistan-brokered ceasefire paved the way for the high-stakes US-Iran talks in Islamabad.
Trump told the US broadcaster in a telephone interview that Iran’s leaders were “much more reasonable” in private but added that “if they don’t make a deal, it’s going to be very painful.”
The talks mark a pivotal moment in efforts to de-escalate a conflict that had threatened to engulf the wider Middle East, with Pakistan now positioned at the centre of global diplomacy.
On Wednesday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that delegations from Washington and Tehran will arrive in Islamabad following the breakthrough ceasefire.
PM Sharif said the aim is to “further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes”.
High Alert
Meanwhile, Islamabad has been placed on high alert ahead of the visit, with more than 10,000 security personnel deployed across the federal capital. Security forces, including police, Rangers, and military units, have been stationed at key locations, particularly around the Red Zone, diplomatic zones, and potential venues for the negotiations.
Authorities have established a multi-layered security plan under close coordination between civil and military agencies. Checkpoints, surveillance systems, and road monitoring measures have been intensified across the city.
Pakistan’s leadership, including Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s top military leadership, remained actively engaged throughout the week, holding consultations with key stakeholders and maintaining close contact with world leaders.
