The White House confirmed Friday that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan for a second round of talks aimed at reaching a deal with Iran, even as Tehran insisted it would not engage in direct negotiations with American officials.
Iran's foreign minister is expected to be in Islamabad for the talks, according to reporting from CBS News, the Associated Press, and Reuters. The format remains indirect, with Iran refusing face-to-face discussions with U.S. representatives, a posture consistent with the country's public statements throughout this round of diplomacy.
The talks come as the United States maintains a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the blockade would last "as long as it takes," according to the New York Times. The strait is one of the world's most critical chokepoints for oil shipments, and any prolonged disruption carries major consequences for global energy markets.
Politico reported that Vice President JD Vance, who had been involved in earlier diplomatic discussions, will not participate in this round. Witkoff has been the administration's primary interlocutor in sensitive foreign policy negotiations, having previously taken a leading role in ceasefire talks in the Middle East.
The structure of the Pakistan talks mirrors the first round, which also relied on indirect communication rather than a direct exchange between American and Iranian officials. Whether that format can produce a concrete agreement remains an open question as both sides maintain hardened public positions.
