Witkoff and Kushner to Travel to Pakistan for Talks with Iranian Foreign Minister as Diplomatic Stalemate Continues
Why It Matters
The United States is making a renewed push to break a diplomatic stalemate with Iran, with two senior envoys heading to Pakistan for face-to-face negotiations with Iran’s top diplomat. The planned meeting represents a critical moment in the Trump administration’s effort to reach a deal before the President turns back to military options to address the Iranian threat.
The talks come as Iran has continued provocative actions in the region, putting additional pressure on negotiators to produce results. President Trump extended a ceasefire with Iran, but diplomatic progress had stalled in recent days heading into the weekend.
What Happened
The White House announced Friday that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Pakistan to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The planned meeting is aimed at restarting negotiations and building momentum toward a broader agreement.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the diplomatic push to reporters Friday. “The Iranians want to talk. They want to talk in person and the president is always willing to give diplomacy a chance,” Leavitt said. “We hope progress will be made and we hope that positive development will come from this meeting. We have certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side in the last few days.”
However, Iran’s state news agency IRNA denied that any meeting had been scheduled between Araghchi and the U.S. envoys. The Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, also denied that direct talks were planned at this time.
By the Numbers
2 — Senior U.S. envoys, Witkoff and Kushner, are leading the American delegation to Pakistan.
3 — Iranian cities on Araghchi’s expected travel itinerary: Islamabad, Muscat (Oman), and Moscow — making the precise timing of any U.S.-Iran meeting unclear.
1 — Previous negotiating round led by Vice President JD Vance, who will not make this trip.
Multiple — Sources confirmed the U.S.-Iran meeting could take place as early as Monday, following separate bilateral discussions between U.S. envoys and Pakistani mediators.
The Pakistani Role
Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday night for talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Field Marshal Asim Munir. Pakistan is playing an active mediating role in the effort to relaunch negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
A Pakistani official told Axios that the meeting with Araghchi will focus on relaunching negotiations with the Trump administration. “A trilateral meeting with the U.S. will be assessed after our meeting with Araghchi,” the Pakistani official said.
Behind the Scenes
Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. negotiating team during the previous round of talks, will not travel to Pakistan this time. U.S. officials said that is because his Iranian counterpart, Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, will not be traveling with Araghchi.
Sources say Ghalibaf grew frustrated with internal divisions within the Iranian leadership following the last round of negotiations, and reportedly even threatened to step aside from his role as lead Iranian negotiator. “He was talking to other officials in Iran about resignation and considering it, but he has not done it yet,” a source with knowledge of the situation said. It remains unclear whether Ghalibaf still holds the lead negotiating role on Iran’s side.
Despite being absent from the trip, Vance will remain on standby to travel to Pakistan should talks advance sufficiently. He is also expected to participate in phone calls with the team on the ground. Vance’s chief of staff and other members of his team will accompany Witkoff and Kushner in Islamabad.
Zoom Out
The diplomatic effort occurs against a backdrop of broader economic and geopolitical pressures on Iran, including the ongoing effects of U.S. tariff policy and regional conflict. The Trump administration has consistently signaled that it prefers a negotiated resolution but has not taken military options off the table.
Oman has previously served as a backchannel location for U.S.-Iran contacts, and Araghchi’s expected stop in Muscat underscores that multiple diplomatic tracks remain active simultaneously.
What’s Next
If the bilateral talks between U.S. envoys and Pakistani mediators proceed as planned, a trilateral meeting with Araghchi could follow as early as Monday. The Trump administration has indicated it views this round of engagement as a potential turning point — with President Trump prepared to return to considering military options if diplomacy again fails to produce results.