WASHINGTON: The White House said on Wednesday that a second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran is likely to take place in Islamabad, praising Pakistan as “incredible mediators” for its role in facilitating dialogue between the two sides.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that discussions were ongoing regarding the next phase of negotiations, adding that Islamabad will be the venue for the second round of talks.
“Those discussions are being had, and we feel good about the prospects of a deal,” she said, noting that further talks would “very likely” be held in Islamabad.
Leavitt praised Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue between Washington and Tehran, describing it as central to the ongoing process.
“The Pakistanis have been incredible mediators throughout this process and we really appreciate their friendship and their efforts to bring this deal to a close,” she said.
🚨 TRUMP PRESS SEC. KAROLINE LEAVITT PRAISES PAKISTAN!
“I just want to make one point that’s important to the President. The Pakistanis have been incredible mediators throughout this process and we really appreciate their friendship and their efforts to bring this deal to a… pic.twitter.com/tJHjx01cLi
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 15, 2026
Pakistan sole mediator in US-Iran talks
She added that Pakistan is the sole mediator in the negotiations despite interest from other countries.
“They are the only mediator in this negotiation, while there have been many countries around the world who want to offer their help,” she said, adding that the US administration wanted to streamline communication through Islamabad.
“The President feels it’s important to continue to streamline this communication through the Pakistanis and so that’s what continues to take place,” Leavitt added.
‘I saw some reporting that we had formally requested an extension of this ceasefire. That is not true. We remain engaged in these negotiations.’
Karoline Leavitt tells reporters that the next round of Iran talks ‘will likely be held in Islamabad’https://t.co/3n6o5i1euG pic.twitter.com/jNf6a3h9xU
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 15, 2026
Talks with Iran ‘productive and ongoing’
Leavitt said that discussions between the US and Iran are ongoing.
“We remain very much engaged in these talks,” she said adding that conversations are “productive and ongoing”.
“We feel good about the prospects of a deal”, Leavitt says, adding that it’s “in the best interests of Iran” to meet Trump’s demands – which she says he’s made “very clear”.
The White House also dismissed reports that Washington had formally sought an extension of the current ceasefire.
“I saw some reporting that we had formally requested an extension of this ceasefire. That is not true. We remain engaged in these negotiations,” Leavitt said.
“You heard from the vice president directly and the president this week that these conversations are productive and ongoing, and that’s where we are right now,” Leavitt adds.
“I’ve also seen some reporting about the potentiality for in-person discussions, again, those discussions are being had, but nothing is official until you hear it from us here at the White House.”
US naval blockade of Iranian ports
Leavitt said the US naval blockade on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports remains in place, but declined to give a timeline on its duration when asked.
“This includes all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman,” she has clarified.
“US forces in the region are supporting the freedom of navigation for vessels that are transiting the Strait [of Hormuz] to and from non-Iranian ports.”
Pakistan intensifies diplomatic efforts
The US and Iran are considering extending their ceasefire, set to expire on Tuesday, by another two weeks to allow more time to negotiate a peace agreement, Bloomberg reported, citing a source familiar with the discussions.
Pakistan is trying to resume face-to-face talks to resolve the contentious issues. Those include reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear enrichment, according to Bloomberg.
US President Donald Trump is voicing optimism about a potential deal with Iran to end the war, currently paused by a two-week ceasefire. Trump told Fox News the conflict is “very close to over”.
US Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met in Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad on Saturday as part of efforts to end the conflict.
Meanwhile, US and Iranian negotiators have made progress in back-channel communications, moving closer to a framework agreement to end the war, Axios reported, citing US officials.
One of the officials said US President Donald Trump’s negotiating team “continued making calls and exchanging draft proposals with the Iranians and (Pakistani) mediators”, Axios reported.
“They were on the phone and backchanneling with all the countries and they are getting closer,” Axios quoted the US official as saying. A second US official confirmed to Axios that “progress was made”.
“We want to make a deal. And parts of their government want to make a deal,” a third US official has been quoted by Axios as saying.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue.
Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, along with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, arrived in Tehran on Wednesday as part of a high-stakes diplomatic push to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed.
The arrival of the high-level Pakistani delegation underscores Islamabad’s effort to position itself as a credible mediator, leveraging its longstanding ties with both Washington and Tehran.
Diplomatic sources indicate that Pakistan is quietly working to explore backchannel communications aimed at reducing tensions and preventing further escalation.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, beginning a four-day diplomatic visit, as Islamabad intensifies efforts ahead of a possible second round of US-Iran peace talks.
“The Prime Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. The meeting will include discussions about the deepening of the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia partnership, as well as the wider situation in the region,” it said.
PM Sharif is accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who was involved in mediating the US-Iran talks, along with other senior officials.
The prime minister will also travel to Qatar and Turkiye following his visit to the Kingdom, the Foreign Office said. It added that the visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar are taking place in a bilateral context, where the prime minister will meet the respective leadership to discuss ongoing cooperation as well as regional peace and security.
The trip comes after Washington and Tehran held rare face-to-face talks in Islamabad over the weekend, with efforts underway to end a conflict that began more than six weeks ago following US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
