US Vice President JD Vance has said that President Donald Trump has issued “pretty clear guidelines” for upcoming negotiations with Iran, adding that he expects the talks to be “positive” as he departs for Pakistan.
Speaking to reporters in Washington DC before travelling to Islamabad, Vance said he is “looking forward” to the discussions and believes diplomatic engagement with Tehran can make progress if conducted in good faith, reports Al Jazeera.
He said, “If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we are certainly willing to extend an open hand. That’s one thing.”
However, he warned that Washington would not be “receptive” if Iran attempted to manipulate the process. “If they’re going to try to play us, they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive,” he said.
Pakistan has yet to announce an official schedule for the talks, although the White House had previously indicated that discussions could take place on Saturday morning. Islamabad continues to wait for the delegations’ arrival.
The comments come ahead of high-level talks in Pakistan aimed at addressing tensions following weeks of conflict and a recently announced ceasefire framework involving the United States and Iran.