US Envoys Witkoff, Kushner to Travel to Pakistan for Iran Nuclear Talks

US President Donald Trump is sending senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan this weekend for crucial talks with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, the White House said on Friday, in a renewed push to revive negotiations amid escalating regional tensions. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is cautiously optimistic. "We're hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward to a deal," Leavitt said in an interview on Fox News Channel. She said that Vice President JD Vance will not travel for now but remains "deeply involved" in the process. She added that he will stay in the US alongside secretary of state Marco Rubio and the national security team, on "standby" to fly to Pakistan "if necessary." Vance is not planning to attend at this stage as Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf is also not participating. Ghalibaf is seen by the White House as the head of Iran's delegation and Vance's counterpart, CNN reported quoting two officials. Meanwhile, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have been in talks with Iranian officials for months, working towards a possible agreement on Tehran's nuclear programme. The diplomatic initiative underscores Pakistan's growing role as a facilitator. Islamabad has been actively trying to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table after talks failed to resume earlier this week as expected. Earlier in the day, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency also confirmed that Araghchi is heading to Pakistan as part of a broader diplomatic tour that also includes Oman and Russia. On social media, the Iranian foreign minister said his trip would focus on "bilateral matters and regional developments." Pakistan's efforts come after Trump agreed to an indefinite extension of a ceasefire with Iran, a move reportedly made at Islamabad's request to allow more time for diplomacy. Despite these diplomatic overtures, the situation on the ground remains volatile. The ongoing conflict has severely impacted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery through which nearly a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passes during peacetime. Recent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels and a continued US blockade of Iranian ports have heightened tensions in the region. Trump has ordered US forces to take a hard line, including directing the military to "shoot and kill" small boats suspected of laying mines. Earlier, US defense secretary Pete Hegseth also reiterated Washington's stance, saying, "Iran has an important choice, a chance to make a deal, a good deal, a wise deal." He further added that a second US aircraft carrier will join the blockade in a few days, adding to an already formidable deployment that includes the USS George H W Bush, USS Abraham Lincoln, and USS Gerald R Ford. According to US Central Command, the deployment now includes around 200 aircraft and 15,000 personnel, marking the first time since 2003 that three American carriers have operated simultaneously in the region. The talks are being seen as a critical attempt to revive stalled negotiations over Tehran's nuclear programme and ease tensions that have rattled global markets. Brent crude, the international benchmark, has fluctuated between $103 and $107 per barrel, still more than 50% higher than levels recorded before the conflict began in late February. In response to the supply crunch, the White House on Friday announced a 90-day extension of the Jones Act waiver, allowing non-American vessels to transport oil and natural gas more freely to US ports. The extension, approved by Trump builds on an earlier 60-day waiver introduced in March to stabilise energy prices and ease shipments after disruptions caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.