PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: Iran has reportedly rejected negotiations with President Donald J. Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, pushing to negotiate with Vice President J.D. Vance instead.
WHO WAS INVOLVED: Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, J.D. Vance, and Iranian officials.
WHEN & WHERE: The refusal follows prior talks in February, with potential new discussions in Islamabad, Pakistan.
KEY QUOTE: “They don’t want to work with Jared and Witkoff because they stabbed them in the back.” – Gulf source
IMPACT: The U.S. is reportedly pushing for a month-long ceasefire with Iran, although its Israeli allies are skeptical about pausing the conflict.
IN FULL
Iran is reportedly resisting peace talks with President Donald J. Trump’s senior envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, after accusing them of “backstabbing.” U.S.-Israeli Operation Epic Fury strikes on Iran are believed to have commenced mere hours after discussions with the pair in February, destroying any remaining trust.
Gulf sources report that Vice President J.D. Vance is now Iran’s preferred mediator for any future negotiations. Iran regards Vance as a more reliable figure who would stand by his commitments during the talks.
The discussions are expected to take place in Islamabad, Pakistan, later this week, although the venue has not yet been confirmed. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had publicly proposed hosting the meetings on X (formerly Twitter).
Trump has confirmed that Vance is now involved in the negotiations, saying on Tuesday evening, “They’re [Kushner and Witkoff] doing it, along with [Secretary of State] Marco [Rubio], J.D. We have a number of people doing it.”
Israel is reported to be more reluctant to agree to a ceasefire than the U.S., however, with Israeli media reporting that Israeli political and military leaders want at least several more weeks of fighting and that the prospect of a “rapid, ambiguous agreement in principle is giving [them] sleepless nights.”
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The post Iran Wants Vance, Not Kushner and Witkoff, to Lead Negotiations – Here’s Why: appeared first on The National Pulse.
