Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force Two, Vance said he expected the talks to be constructive but warned against any attempt to manipulate the process.
“We’re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s gonna be positive. We’ll of course see,” he said. Citing guidance from the White House, Vance added that the US remains open to diplomacy if Tehran engages in good faith. “If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand,” he said.
However, he cautioned that any perceived bad faith would harden Washington’s stance. “If they’re gonna try and play us, then they’re gonna find that the negotiating team is not that receptive,” he said.
High-level US delegation involved
The visit follows a White House announcement that President Donald Trump has assigned Vance to help secure a resolution to the ongoing war that began six weeks ago.
He is accompanied by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and former senior adviser Jared Kushner, with support expected from officials across the National Security Council, State Department, and Pentagon.
Vance said Trump had provided “clear guidelines” for the negotiations, though he did not disclose specifics.
Fragile ceasefire and rising tensions
The talks are taking place against the backdrop of a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which has created a limited window for diplomacy. However, major disagreements remain unresolved.
Iran has reportedly demanded that any broader truce include an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon, a condition rejected by both the US and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that operations targeting Hezbollah will continue.
Meanwhile, Washington has pushed for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that Iran had restricted amid escalating tensions.
President Trump also criticized Tehran’s handling of maritime traffic, saying Iran was “doing a very poor job” of allowing oil tankers to pass and stressing that such actions contradict existing understandings.
Diplomatic test ahead
Direct US-Iran engagement remains rare since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with only limited breakthroughs in past decades, including negotiations during the Obama administration.
Analysts say the current talks represent a significant but fragile opportunity, with both sides under domestic and regional pressure. Key issues such as regional security, maritime access, and nuclear concerns remain unresolved.
For now, the Islamabad negotiations are being viewed as a critical test of whether the ceasefire can hold—and whether it can evolve into a more durable peace framework.
