Trump's envoy, son-in-law heading to Pakistan for talks with Iran: White House

WASHINGTON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are heading to Pakistan for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi this weekend, the White House said Friday.

"I can confirm special envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be off to Pakistan again tomorrow morning to engage in talks, direct talks, intermediated by the Pakistanis who have been incredible friends and mediators throughout this entire process with representatives from the Iranian delegation," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News Friday afternoon.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. negotiating team during the first round of talks in Pakistan earlier this month, is not currently planning to attend the upcoming talks, Leavitt said, adding he will be standing by and consulting Trump alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

She reiterated that a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran must include Iran's turning over nuclear material and committing to not building a nuclear weapon.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad to hold discussions with Pakistani mediators on key preconditions before entering potential negotiations with the United States, a Pakistani official source told Xinhua on Friday.

The discussions are expected to focus on such issues as lifting blockades and releasing Iranian ships and crew seized by the U.S. side, said the source, stressing Tehran is seeking initial confidence-building gestures from the United States before moving toward direct engagement.

"Our neighbors are our priority," Araghchi said Friday on X as he embarks on the trip, which will also take him to Oman and Russia, noting he will "closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments."

Trump insisted earlier this week that any peace deal with Iran would be made on U.S. terms and his timeline, claiming there is "no time frame" for ending the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and "no time pressure" on the U.S.-Iran ceasefire he extended Tuesday or on stalled talks.