Vance led US team en route to Islamabad for Iran talks, deal to be signed ‘today’: Trump
By: Mahpara zaman
NEW YORK: United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and a US delegation were set to land in Pakistan within hours for talks on Iran and asserted that a deal would be signed “today”, adding that he would be willing to meet with Iranian leaders himself if progress was made.
Anadolu and Al Jazeera reported that Trump has told Fox News that the Iran deal would be signed “today” in Pakistan, adding on from an earlier interview with the New York Post in which he said Vance and the US delegation were on their way to Islamabad for the talks.
In an interview with the New York Post, Trump said that he would be willing to meet with Iranian leaders himself if progress is made.
Trump said negotiations with Iran were expected to proceed, expressing confidence that talks would not collapse despite lingering uncertainty.
“We’re supposed to have the talks,” Trump said in a brief interview, brushing aside doubts about whether negotiations would fall apart. “So I would assume at this point nobody’s playing games.”
He confirmed that a high-level US delegation — including JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner — is already en route to Islamabad for the next round of negotiations.
“They’re heading over now,” Trump said shortly after 9 am EST. “They’ll be there tonight, [Islamabad] time.”
Trump also signalled openness to a potential face-to-face meeting with the Iranian leadership if an opportunity arises.
“I have no problem meeting them,” he said. “If they want to meet, and we have some very capable people, but I have no problem meeting them.”
At the centre of the negotiations, Trump said, was a firm US demand that Iran abandon any pursuit of nuclear weapons.
“Get rid of their nuclear weapons. That’s all very simple,” he said. “There will be no nuclear weapon.”
He added that Iran could prosper if it complies with this condition.
“Otherwise, a wonderful country — it truly could be,” Trump said.
However, Trump declined to outline potential consequences if Tehran refuses to comply or if talks collapse, particularly as the ceasefire deadline approaches.
“Well, I don’t want to get into that with you,” he said when asked whether the US would escalate measures, such as seizing additional ships tied to Iran. “You can imagine. It wouldn’t be pretty.”
Asked whether Washington was confident about its counterparts in Tehran, Trump said: “We have pretty good ideas, and we think we’re dealing with the right people.”
