Kushner and Witkoff to Travel to Pakistan for Iran Talks

Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, will travel to Pakistan on Saturday to restart negotiations with Iranian officials, according to multiple reports from the White House. The trip aims to revive diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.

White House Confirms Trip Details

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the plans during a Friday interview, stating that Witkoff and Kushner will depart for Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, to engage in “direct talks” with their Iranian counterparts. Leavitt said the Iranians had requested an in-person conversation, prompting the administration to send the envoys.

“The Iranians reached out and asked for an in-person conversation, as President Donald Trump had asked them to do,” Leavitt said. “So the president is dispatching Steve and Jared to go hear what they have to say, and we’re hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward towards a deal.”

Vice President Vance Not Joining This Round

Leavitt also confirmed that Vice President JD Vance, who led a prior U.S. Delegation to Islamabad for an initial round of negotiations, will not be attending this weekend’s talks. However, she emphasized that Vance remains deeply involved in the process and will monitor developments from the United States alongside President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the national security team.

“The vice president 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,” Leavitt said. “And of course, everyone will be on standby to fly to Pakistan if necessary.”

Context of Ongoing Diplomacy

The trip marks a second round of U.S.-Iran discussions in Pakistan following an earlier round led by Vance. The Trump administration has extended its timeline for resolving the conflict after initially projecting a four-to-six-week window for war resolution passed without a settlement.

Leavitt characterized the renewed talks as a potential diplomatic breakthrough after negotiations appeared to stall earlier in the week. The administration hopes the direct engagement will yield progress toward a lasting agreement.

As of Saturday, April 25, 2026, Witkoff and Kushner are en route to Pakistan to begin the discussions, with outcomes to be reported back to Washington for further deliberation by the full national security team.