Vice President JD Vance departed for Pakistan Friday to lead direct negotiations with Iran aimed at converting a fragile ceasefire into a lasting deal, warning Tehran that his team would not be “receptive” if Iran tries to run out the clock.

“If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand,” Vance said before boarding Air Force Two. “If they’re gonna try and play us, then they’re gonna find that the negotiating team is not that receptive.”

An Iranian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had already arrived in Islamabad, the Wall Street Journal reported. Islamabad was placed under heavy security lockdown ahead of the talks.

Vance is joined by Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, who participated in three rounds of pre-war indirect talks with Iran. The White House has not specified whether the negotiations will be direct or indirect.

The talks open against a backdrop of mounting tensions that threaten to unravel the ceasefire declared by President Trump on Tuesday. Iran has insisted the truce covers Israeli operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon — a claim the US and Israel flatly reject. Tehran has also refused to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Trump to post Thursday that Iran was doing “a very poor job” honoring the agreement.

The ceasefire itself came with the war’s core objectives unmet — Iran’s nuclear program intact, its missile arsenal undestroyed, and the regime still in power.

The mission represents an unusual — and historically rare — deployment of a sitting vice president to negotiate an active war.

The choice of Vance has drawn scrutiny. He has limited diplomatic experience and has long been skeptical of foreign military interventions. Some analysts believe Tehran may actually prefer him for that reason.

The stakes extend beyond the negotiating table. Vance is widely seen as a leading 2028 presidential contender, and the outcome in Islamabad could define his political standing for years.

Israel, which launched the military campaign against Iran alongside the US six weeks ago, has no seat at the table. Host Pakistan does not recognize Israeli sovereignty and maintains no diplomatic ties with Jerusalem.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)