US changes course: Vance won’t lead delegation to Iran talks

US Vice President JD Vance will not, as previously stated, lead the American delegation in upcoming negotiations with Iran in Pakistan, ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl reported on X.

“President Trump just told me Vance will not be going to Islamabad. He said the issue is security — the Secret Service couldn’t do it on 24 hours notice,” Karl noted.

President Trump just told me Vance will not be going to Islamabad. He said the issue is security — the Secret Service couldn’t do it on 24 hours notice.

“It’s only because of security,” he told me. “JD’s great.” https://t.co/geDNJhN8p1

— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) April 19, 2026

Earlier, the ABC News reporter had said that US Permanent Representative to the UN Mike Waltz stated Vice President JD Vance would head the US delegation in talks with the Iranian side in Islamabad.

Vance previously led the US delegation during the first round of the negotiations held in Islamabad.

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on 28 February, carrying out airstrikes on several cities. On the same day, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed as a result of the strikes. In response, Iran launched missile attacks on Israeli territory and targeted US military bases in Gulf countries.

After weeks of escalating tensions, Iran, the United States, and their allies reached a two-week ceasefire agreement on the night of 8 April 2026. Negotiations between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan, took place in Islamabad on 11–12 April but ended without results.

US President Donald Trump announced on 15 April the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for shipping, despite the continued maritime blockade of Iranian ports. The move was taken in an effort to maintain relations with China.

Later, on 18 April, the Naval Forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the closure of the waterway, citing violations of the ceasefire agreement and the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports by US forces.

By Jeyhun Aghazada