Witkoff and Kushner head to Pakistan for talk with Iran after initiative by Tehran for direct contacts and resumption of dialogue.
At a particularly sensitive diplomatic juncture for relations between Washington and Tehran, the US is moving forward with a new initiative for contacts through a third country, with a high-level mission expected to engage in discussions aimed at de-escalating and possibly restarting channels of communication, according to the White House. The move comes after signs that the Iranian side is seeking immediate accommodation, while on the backstage, there is increasing activity around possible proposals for future negotiations, in an environment where the Middle East imbalances remain highly fluid.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Whitcoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will depart tomorrow morning for Pakistan, where they will have talk with Iran, White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said in an interview with the Fox News television network.
White House position
According to Levitt, it was Iran that requested a direct meeting.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance “will be on standby” in the US, Levitt continued.
“Everyone will be on standby to depart for Pakistan if necessary but first Steve and Jared will go there and report to the president, the vice president and the rest of the team,” she told “America Reports.”
The U.S. has seen “progress” in recent days from the Iranian side and hopes even more will be achieved in this weekend’s talks, he added.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected in Islamabad tonight to discuss proposals to restart peace talks with the U.S.
