Witkoff, Kushner to visit Pakistan for talks with Araghchi

U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan soon for talks with Iran’s foreign minister, a U.S. official told Reuters on Friday, as Tehran’s top diplomat heads to Islamabad.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad late Friday with a small delegation. State media said the visit could pave the way for renewed peace talks with the United States after negotiations collapsed earlier this week.

Vice President JD Vance is not currently planning to attend but will remain on standby to travel to Islamabad if talks progress, according to CNN, which first reported the plans.

The White House has also confirmed the development. Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Tehran requested the meeting after Donald Trump urged direct engagement, signaling a potential diplomatic opening in US-Iran relations.

In a post on X, Araghchi said he was embarking on a “timely tour” of Islamabad, Muscat and Moscow. “Purpose of my visits is to closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments. Our neighbors are our priority.”

Pakistan state media, citing government sources, said Araghchi’s arrival comes as “momentum builds for a possible second round of Iran-US peace talks following key consultations with Pakistan’s mediation team,” adding that U.S. logistics and security officials are already on the ground in Islamabad.

Two Pakistani government sources told Reuters the visit could signal a resumption of talks, though this has not been confirmed and Washington’s response is still awaited.

Araghchi “will tell us what instructions he has when he arrives. All this is speculative,” one source said. The sources added that Araghchi would hold bilateral talks and present Iran’s position on a possible framework for negotiations, which would then be conveyed to Washington.

There was no immediate response from U.S. officials.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA said the purpose of the trip was to hold bilateral consultations and discuss regional developments, including what it described as the “imposed war by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran.”

The last round of talks, expected earlier this week, did not take place. Iran said it was not ready to commit, and a U.S. delegation led by Vance did not depart Washington.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by phone with Araghchi to discuss regional developments, the ceasefire and ongoing diplomatic efforts.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Dar “underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and engagement to address outstanding issues to advance regional peace and stability at the earliest,” while Araghchi appreciated Pakistan’s “consistent and constructive facilitation role.”

A day earlier, Trump said he would not use nuclear weapons in the conflict with Iran. “Why would I use a nuclear weapon? We've totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it,” he told reporters at the White House.

“No, I wouldn't use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody,” he said. “There's nothing worse than a nuclear weapon that takes out cities, destroys the Middle East, or creates a nuclear holocaust in Europe.”

Asked how long he was willing to wait for a deal, Trump said, “Don't rush me.”

“I want to make the best deal. I could make a deal right now ... but I don't want to do that. I want to have it everlasting,” he added.