Witkoff, Kushner head to Pakistan for indirect Iran peace talks

The White House sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, betting that Pakistan can keep U.S.-Iran diplomacy alive even as Tehran rejects a direct meeting and the ceasefire around the conflict remains brittle. Karoline Leavitt said the two envoys were traveling Saturday morning, April 25, 2026, for Pakistan-mediated talks with Iran, an unusual channel that underscores how dependent Washington has become on intermediaries.

The choice of venue says as much as the delegation itself. Pakistan has become the central mediator, working to bridge the gap between Washington and Tehran while trying to secure several days of negotiations and, eventually, a memorandum of understanding that could extend the ceasefire window. Reuters reporting indicated the session was expected to be indirect rather than a formal U.S.-Iran encounter, with Pakistan carrying messages between the sides if needed.

Tehran has not signaled that it is ready to meet U.S. officials face to face. The Associated Press reported that Iran ruled out direct negotiations with American representatives even as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday, April 24. CBS News reported that the United States said it was ready to hear a peace plan from Iranian officials through Pakistani intermediaries, a sign that the White House is trying to preserve the talks even without a public breakthrough.

The pressure on the diplomacy comes from the wider conflict and the naval blockade of Iranian ports, which Iranian officials have called a major obstacle to any settlement. The talks are unfolding around the Strait of Hormuz, where the risk of disruption reaches far beyond the battlefield and into the oil markets that watch every shift in access and security. Earlier reporting showed the Trump administration weighing a renewed push that could send senior officials back to Pakistan within days, a sign that Washington sees the mediation effort as one of the few remaining channels to avoid another escalation.

The backdrop is Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military campaign against Iran that the Department of War says began on February 28, 2026. The White House said on April 8 that the operation had met its objectives after 38 days, while also extending the ceasefire and keeping pressure on Iran. That combination of military pressure and diplomatic outreach explains why Islamabad has become the key stop in the effort: if Pakistan can keep both sides engaged, it could still create room for a longer pause. If not, the ceasefire may give way to a wider regional confrontation.