US Vice President Vance heads to Pakistan for Iran talks

Washington: US Vice President J D Vance on Friday set off for Pakistan for talks on Iran, saying Washington is ready to “extend the open hand” if Tehran negotiates in good faith, while warning against attempts to “play” the United States.

“We’re looking forward to negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive,” Vance told reporters at Joint Base Andrews before boarding Air Force Two for Islamabad.

He reiterated that the US approach would depend on Iran’s willingness to engage constructively, aligning his remarks with guidance from President Donald Trump.

“As the President of the United States said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand,” Vance said. “If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive.”

The Vice President emphasised that the administration is entering the talks with a defined framework.

“So we’re going to try to have a positive negotiation. The President gave us some pretty clear guidelines, and we’re going to see,” he said.

Officials have not yet released a detailed schedule for the Pakistan visit, leaving key elements of the trip unclear.

The talks come in the middle of a two-week ceasefire between US and Iran. The Vice President’s remarks reinforced that dual-track approach of engagement and deterrence.

India is closely watching the developments given its stakes in Gulf stability and energy flows. Any breakthrough or setback in US-Iran talks could have implications for oil prices and regional security calculations.

Previous attempts at US-Iran engagement have produced limited results, with deep mistrust and competing strategic priorities often derailing progress. The current round of talks is seen as another test of whether both sides can find common ground under shifting geopolitical conditions.

IANS