Washington DC

US Vice President JD Vance on Friday left for Islamabad to lead American participation in upcoming talks with Iran, expressing cautious optimism while underscoring the need for sincerity from Tehran.

Speaking to reporters before his departure, Vance said Washington is willing to engage constructively if Iran approaches the negotiations in good faith. He noted that the United States remains open to dialogue and hopeful of a positive outcome.

At the same time, he warned that any attempt by Iran to act in bad faith would be met with a firm response, stating that the US negotiating team would not be receptive to such conduct.

Vance is set to head the US delegation for the discussions scheduled over the weekend in Pakistan’s capital. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the delegation will also include US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former President Donald Trump.

The first round of talks is expected to begin on Saturday morning, local time.

The negotiations aim to find a resolution to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has persisted for over a month, and come in the wake of a temporary two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.

Reports from Iranian state media suggest that Tehran’s delegation will be led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a key figure in the country’s wartime leadership. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding the participation of senior officials such as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Meanwhile, Pakistani media has reported that the Iranian delegation has already arrived in Islamabad ahead of the scheduled talks.