Vance's Name Floated to Lead US Talks With Iran

Pakistan seems to be emerging as a major player in the diplomatic push to end the Iran war, with the White House confirming that army chief Asim Munir spoke with President Trump by phone on Sunday, reports the Guardian. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, meanwhile, said his nation is prepared to host "meaningful and conclusive" negotiations, and the report adds that both Pakistan and Iran favor Vice President JD Vance to represent the US rather than the usual duo of Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. The Wall Street Journal also mentions Vance—who was skeptical about starting the war in the first place—as a potential US representative in such talks.

The vice president already is involved in some capacity: The Times of Israel reports that he spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday about possible US-Iran talks, which could take place this week should everything fall into place. President Trump's new deadline to escalate the war, barring diplomatic progress, is Friday. On the Iranian side, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is considered the leading contender to head any delegation, though he has publicly dismissed reports of talks as "fake news." Pakistan's ties give it a unique profile: a close relationship with Trump, deep links to Gulf states hit by Iranian strikes, and a large Shia population, second only to Iran. Islamabad is also feeling the economic pain—its energy supplies largely transit the now-blockaded Strait of Hormuz.