US Vice President JD Vance is likely to travel to Islamabad on Tuesday for a second round of peace talks with Iran aimed at ending the seven-week war, according to American media reports, even as uncertainty surrounds the talks and both sides warn they are "ready for war".
Notably, US President Donald Trump had told the New York Post on Monday that the Vance-led delegation was already en route to Islamabad, while other media reports said the V-P remained in Washington.
This comes as the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran was tested once again on Sunday when a US guided-missile destroyer fired on and seized an Iranian cargo ship after it tried to get past the US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, further angering the Iranians.
The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Pakistan on April 11-12 aimed at ending their conflict, but the discussions concluded without agreement.
Vance is expected to arrive as a two-week ceasefire agreed on April 8 nears its end, with Trump warning the US could target Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if no deal is reached.
However, Trump has extended the ceasefire by a day to Wednesday, with the Vance-led delegation’s trip to Pakistan expected late Tuesday. Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to join the V-P.
"Vice President Vance is expected to depart for Islamabad by Tuesday morning for talks with Iran over a potential deal to end the war," US news outlet Axios reported, quoting three US sources.
Axios, quoting a source with knowledge, said the Iranians were stalling amid apparent pressure from the Revolutionary Guards on the negotiators to hold a firmer line "no talks without an end to the US blockade."
The Iranian team was urged to join the meeting by mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkiye, Axios reported, but, according to the source, didn't leave until they received approval from Iran's supreme leader.
Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that the Iran's plan to travel to Islamabad, with Parliament Speaker Mohammed-Bagher Ghalibaf is expected to lead the delegation.
Amid the uncertainty, the White House said it was close to securing a historic diplomatic breakthrough with Tehran, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt defending Trump’s aggressive posturing and use of economic leverage.
"The United States has never been closer to a good deal with Iran, unlike the horrible deal made by the Obama Administration, thanks to President Trump's negotiating ability," Leavitt told Fox News.
"Anyone who cannot see President Trump's tactics to play the long game is either stupid or willfully ignorant," she said Monday night.
During the first round of talks on April 11, American negotiators proposed a 20-year pause on Iran's enrichment of uranium, a source familiar with the discussions was quoted as saying by CNN.
Iran responded with a proposal for a five-year suspension, which the US has rejected, according to a US official.
Trump insisted Monday he wasn't feeling pressure to reach a deal, despite the war's rising unpopularity among the American public and the role it's played in higher gas prices. "I am under no pressure whatsoever, although it will all happen relatively quickly!" he wrote on Truth Social.
(With additional inputs from PTI and ANI)