Witkoff, Kushner head to Pakistan for Iran peace talks

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner will travel to Islamabad on Saturday for Pakistan-brokered talks with Iran, the White House announced Friday, as the Trump administration cited recent progress toward ending the war.

The mission is the second U.S.-Iran diplomatic contact brokered by Islamabad, coming weeks after Vice President JD Vance's earlier round of talks ended without a deal and days after Trump extended a two-week ceasefire to preserve negotiating space.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the trip Friday, saying the two envoys would depart Saturday morning. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday ahead of the meeting, according to Reuters.

"Steve and Jared will be heading to Pakistan tomorrow to hear the Iranians out," Leavitt said. "We hope progress will be made and we hope that positive developments will come from this meeting."

The Saturday session follows an earlier round in early April when Vance led U.S. talks in Islamabad that ended without an agreement. Leavitt said Vance is prepared to fly to Pakistan should discussions advance.

"The president, the vice president, the secretary of state, will be waiting here in the United States for updates," Leavitt said. "The vice president, I understand, is on standby and will be willing to dispatch to Pakistan if we feel it's a necessary use of his time."

The Trump administration said it had seen "some progress" from the Iranian side in recent days. Trump extended a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday — at what officials called the 11th hour — to keep the diplomatic channel open.

Trump, Vance and the secretary of state are monitoring developments from Washington. Officials said recent movement from the Iranian side prompted the administration to send the delegation to Islamabad for a second attempt at a negotiated settlement.