- Pakistan acting as intermediary between US, Iran: source.
- Vance “takes greater role” in trying to negotiate end to war.
- US VP delivered “stern message” that Trump was impatient.
US Vice President JD Vance communicated with intermediaries from Pakistan about the Iran conflict as recently as Tuesday, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters, a sign of his expanding role in efforts to broker an end to the conflict.
At President Donald Trump’s direction, Vance signalled privately that Trump was open to a ceasefire as long as certain US demands were met, the source told Reuters on Wednesday.
Vance also delivered what the source described as a “stern message” that Trump was impatient, warning there would be growing pressure on Iranian infrastructure unless Tehran agreed to a deal.
Pakistan has been acting as an intermediary between the United States and Iran, the source said.
The more than a month-long war between the US, Israel and Iran began on February 28 and has plunged the Middle East into turmoil.
Soon after the initial strikes, Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz — a key shipping route — and launched retaliatory attacks on Israel and US bases across the region.
The development comes at a time when Pakistan has stepped up its diplomatic push to help end the US-Israel war on Iran.
In this regard, Pakistan hosted key regional ministers — from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt — and relayed messages between Washington and Tehran.
On Tuesday, Pakistan and China also jointly urged the US, Israel, and Iran to stop the strikes and initiate “peace talks as soon as possible”.
The call came following a high-level meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.
The meeting’s five-point initiative for peace in the region included the call for an immediate end to hostilities, an urgent start to peace talks, security of non-military targets and shipping lanes, and the primacy of the United Nations Charter.
Vance has taken a greater role in trying to negotiate an end to the war, now in its fifth week. Widely viewed as a potential successor to Trump in the 2028 presidential election, Vance has taken a cautious approach on the conflict, reflecting his long-held skepticism of prolonged US military involvement overseas.
The source said the team that Trump has said are involved in negotiations — Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — remain involved.
Trump has warned the US would attack Iranian infrastructure, but has delayed launching such attacks on Iran’s power grid until April 6 in hopes of reaching a deal with Tehran.
