President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan earlier this month failed to reach a peace deal. On Tuesday, Trump announced he was extending the ceasefire and continuing the blockade until Iran's proposal is submitted and discussions are concluded "one way or the other."
US, Iran delegations to meet with Pakistani mediators: Pakistani official
U.S. and Iranian delegations will have separate meetings with Pakistani officials this weekend, a senior Pakistani government official told ABC News. If those meetings go well, the U.S. and Iranian delegations would then meet directly on Sunday, the official said.
The official said the Iranian delegation has arrived in Pakistan and the U.S. delegation is expected to arrive Saturday evening local time.
-ABC News’ Habi Khan
2:06 PM EDT
Leavitt says Vance 'on standby,' 'willing to dispatch to Pakistan' if necessary
During a gaggle with reporters Friday afternoon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that while President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan this weekend, it's still possible for Vice President JD Vance to be dispatched, too.
“The vice president, I understand, is on standby and will be willing to dispatch to Pakistan if we feel it's a necessary use of his time,” Leavitt said.
“We hope progress will be made, and we hope that positive developments will come from this meeting, and we will see,” she added.
“The Iranians want to talk. They want to talk in person,” Leavitt said, and Trump is “always willing to give diplomacy a chance.”
-ABC News’ Nicholas Kerr, Emily Chang and Michelle Stoddart
1:26 PM EDT
Witkoff, Kushner to travel to Islamabad Saturday for peace talks
President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday for another round of peace talks with Iranian officials, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.
Hoardings are mounted on lamp posts, as Pakistan prepares to host the United States and Iran for a possible second phase of peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 20, 2026.
Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
They will "engage in talks, direct talks inter-mediated by the Pakistanis, who have been incredible friends and mediators throughout this entire process, with representatives from the Iranian delegation," she said Friday. "The Iranians reached out as the president called on them to do, and asked for this in-person conversation. So the president is dispatching Steve and Jared to go hear what they have to say."
Leavitt said Vice President JD Vance will not be going but said he "remains deeply involved in this entire process, and he'll be standing by here in the United States, along with the president and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the entire national security team for updates."
When asked whether the administration had any indication that the Iranians were closer to coming to a deal, Leavitt only said "we'll see," adding that it was part of the reason for the trip by Witkoff and Kushner.
Despite the president’s rhetoric threatening to bomb Iran and his past claims that he does not need a deal, Leavitt said the U.S. has “transitioned” into a “diplomatic phase” in order to secure a deal.
-ABC News’ Nicholas Kerr, Emily Chang and Michelle Stoddart
11:43 AM EDT
Iranian foreign minister heading to Pakistan, Oman, Russia
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media that he's visiting Islamabad, Pakistan, Muscat, Oman, and Moscow, Russia "to closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments."
