Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Islamabad for high-stakes ceasefire talks with Iranian officials, as fighting in Lebanon strains a fragile truce. He is joined by special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, while the Iranian delegation is led by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.
Tehran is demanding an Israeli ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of blocked Iranian assets as conditions for progress, while Washington maintains the truce framework does not cover Lebanon. The gap between the two positions makes this week's meetings the most consequential diplomacy of the crisis so far.
Vance warned Iran not to "play" the United States ahead of the talks, but signaled openness to sanctions relief if the negotiations move forward - a carrot designed to keep Tehran at the table.
The talks come as the region sits on edge, with any collapse in the ceasefire threatening to pull the United States deeper into a Middle East confrontation. Both delegations face pressure to show results before violence escalates further.
