Trump Envoys Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff Head To Pakistan For Iran Talks— Tehran Denies Any Meeting

Summary

The Donald Trump administration has dispatched envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to Pakistan for a new round of talks aimed at restarting negotiations with Iran. US Pushes For Breakthrough As Talks Stall The planned visit comes after the last talks failed to produce progress, despite a temporary ceasefire extension backed by Trump. U.S. officials see the trip as a critical effort to break the deadlock and build momentum toward a broader agreement. "The Iranians want to talk. They want to talk in person and the president is always willing to give diplomacy a chance," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Friday. "We hope progress will be made." Iran Denies Meeting With US Envoys However, Iranian officials are pushing back on the U.S. narrative. State media outlets reported that no meeting has been scheduled between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the American delegation. Officials indicated that any communication would likely be indirect, potentially routed through Pakistani intermediaries. Iranian spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei reinforced that position on X, saying, "No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the U.S. Iran’s observations would be conveyed to Pakistan." Pakistan Emerges As Key Mediator Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday for meetings with senior Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as Islamabad works to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran. A Pakistani official told Axios that discussions will focus on restarting negotiations, with a trilateral meeting still under consideration. Uncertainty Clouds Diplomatic Path Forward The timeline for any direct engagement remains unclear, with Araghchi expected to continue traveling to Oman and Russia in the coming days. Vice President JD Vance is not part of the initial delegation but is on standby if talks advance. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Image via Shutterstock © 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.