US-Iran Talks: Vance Heads to Islamabad as Deadline Nears

Ceasefire deadline puts talks back in focus

A fresh round of U.S.-Iran diplomacy is expected in Islamabad as the two-week ceasefire between the countries approaches its deadline. U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Pakistan to restart negotiations, according to a report by Axios, with other outlets also reporting U.S. officials are heading to the Pakistani capital. The talks come after a first round in Islamabad earlier this month ended without an agreement. The ceasefire was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 7, with other reports describing it as brokered on April 8. As the window narrows, the central question remains whether Iran will send negotiators and whether the truce will hold.

What the U.S. delegation is expected to look like

Multiple reports said Vance would be joined by Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff for the talks in Islamabad. Trump told media the delegation was “en route” to Islamabad, and said he would be willing to meet Iranian leaders himself if progress is made. He also said he would love to attend in person, but did not believe his presence would be necessary. The renewed push follows what was described as a last-minute clearance from Iran’s supreme leader, allowing Tehran’s negotiators to attend the talks. That signaled a narrow diplomatic opening, even as Tehran’s public stance remained defiant. The U.S. side is returning to a negotiating track that, by its own account, has already produced a “final and best offer.”

Iran’s position: public caution, mixed signals

Iranian officials said no decision had been made on participating in the next round of talks in Pakistan, though they were “positively reviewing” the matter. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday: “We have no plans for the next round of negotiation, and no decision has been made in this regard.” Separately, Iran’s state-affiliated Fars news agency reported, citing a source close to the negotiating team, that Tehran had “no plan for a next round of negotiations.” At the same time, some reporting indicated Iranian sources expected a delegation to arrive on Tuesday to discuss an extension. Iranian state media also carried conflicting accounts on whether negotiators would travel.

What happened in the first Islamabad round

The U.S. and Iran held rare direct talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12 aimed at ending the conflict, but they concluded without any agreement. Associated Press reported the discussions ended early Sunday without a deal and left the fate of the ceasefire unclear. Vance said negotiations finished without an agreement after Iran refused to accept American terms to refrain from developing a nuclear weapon. He said the parties were negotiating “in good faith” and that the U.S. proposal was its “final and best offer.” CNN also said the first round ended in gridlock, with the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear capacities among the central points of contention. Pakistan, which hosted the talks, said it would continue to mediate between Washington and Tehran.

The ceasefire clock: Trump sets a hard line

Trump announced the two-week ceasefire on April 7, and later told reporters that the deadline had been extended from Tuesday to Wednesday evening Washington time. He added: “It’s highly unlikely that I’d extend it.” Bloomberg also quoted Trump saying it is unlikely he will extend the ceasefire past Wednesday, noting it expires “Wednesday evening Washington time.” The narrowing timeline raises the stakes for any meeting in Islamabad, particularly after both sides accused each other of breaching a temporary truce. AP described the war as having killed thousands of people and shaken global markets as it entered its seventh week. With attacks suspended under the ceasefire, the next steps are tied closely to whether talks resume and whether either side changes its negotiating position.

Sticking points: nuclear issue, Hormuz, and blockade pressure

The main sticking points described across reports include Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the status of the Strait of Hormuz. CNN said the U.S. delegation aims to break the deadlock that paralysed the first round of talks. AP reported Iran’s 10-point proposal called for a guaranteed end to the war and sought control over the Strait of Hormuz. It also sought an end to fighting against Iran’s “regional allies,” explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. Another report cited hardliners in Tehran, via the Tasnim News Agency, saying no talks would proceed while the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect. Vance also said the talks failed because Iranian leaders rejected the U.S. offer.

Pakistan’s mediation role and wider diplomatic messaging

Pakistan has been positioned as a mediator and the venue for rare face-to-face engagement between Washington and Tehran. Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called on both countries to maintain the ceasefire and said Pakistan would try to facilitate new dialogue “in the coming days,” according to AP. Russia also weighed in, with Moscow calling for the U.S.-Iran ceasefire to be maintained and for diplomatic efforts to continue after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with his Iranian counterpart. The diplomatic traffic underlines how quickly a breakdown could ripple through the region. Still, the immediate focus remains on whether Iran formally confirms participation in Islamabad.

India-linked flashpoint: Hormuz incident and diplomatic response

A separate tension point cited in the reporting was an incident in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday involving Indian shipping. The text says India summoned Iran’s ambassador to complain about Iran opening fire on two Indian ships. The Strait of Hormuz is repeatedly described as a central issue in the U.S.-Iran talks and a key energy artery. Any escalation around the strait adds pressure to the ceasefire discussions and increases scrutiny of maritime security. For Indian stakeholders, the development keeps attention on shipping risk in the Gulf even as negotiations continue.

Key facts at a glance

Why this matters for markets and risk watchers

AP described the conflict as having disrupted global oil routes and shaken global markets. The Strait of Hormuz appears in multiple accounts as a pivotal negotiating issue and as a focal point of operational pressure, including talk of a naval blockade and Iran’s proposal seeking control over the strait. The combination of a deadline-driven ceasefire, disputed truce compliance, and uncertainty over Iran’s attendance increases event risk. In that setting, the Islamabad meeting has become a key checkpoint for whether diplomatic channels stay open beyond Wednesday.

Conclusion

JD Vance’s expected trip to Islamabad sets up another attempt to extend or stabilise a two-week ceasefire that Trump has signaled he is unlikely to extend further. Iran has publicly said no decision has been made on attending, even as reports describe last-minute clearance from Iran’s supreme leader and mixed signals from Iranian media. Pakistan has reiterated its intent to keep mediating, while the U.S. side says its proposal remains a “final and best offer.” The next confirmed milestone is the ceasefire’s Wednesday evening Washington time deadline, with the Islamabad talks framed as the last near-term opportunity to prevent a collapse in diplomacy.