U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, are heading to Pakistan on April 25, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Leavitt confirmed the move on Fox News on April 24, saying the Iranians requested the meeting as there has been a ceasefire between the United States and Iran during a kinetic conflict between the two sides.
Leavitt later told reporters there has been progress from Iran in recent days.
Vice President JD Vance, who has led the negotiations on behalf of the United States, will not go to Islamabad, but will be on standby if talks progress.
“The vice president remains deeply involved in this entire process, and he’ll be standing by here in the United States, along with the president and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and the entire national security team for updates,” Leavitt said.
She added that “everyone will be on standby to fly to Pakistan if necessary.”
Leavitt said the war has allowed for diplomatic talks.
“Ultimately, the goal of Operation Epic Fury was to ensure that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and we’ve now transitioned into this diplomatic phase to get that done through the means of a deal,” she said.
Earlier on Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed a “timely” visit to Islamabad.
He was expected there on Friday to discuss the possibility of resuming talks with the United States, but was not scheduled to meet U.S. negotiators.
At an April 24 Pentagon briefing alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, War Secretary Pete Hegseth provided an update on the conflict with Iran, which is currently paused under a ceasefire.
“Every ship that the U.S. determines meets our criteria—whether Iranian-flagged or traveling to or from Iranian ports—has been turned around,” Hegseth said. “As of this morning, 34.”
Hegseth also underscored that the blockade is expanding in both scope and scale.
“Not only is the blockade growing, but a second aircraft carrier will join the effort in just a few days,” he said, adding that “this expanding blockade has now gone global.”
He noted that U.S. forces this week seized two Iranian “dark fleet” vessels in the Indo-Pacific that departed Iranian ports before the blockade took effect.
Caine said U.S. military operations would extend beyond the immediate region.
“We’re enforcing the blockade broadly against any vessel—regardless of nationality—traveling to or from Iranian ports or territory,” he said.
He added that U.S. forces are closely monitoring ships linked to Iran, including those outside the blockade zone when it was first announced.
“We’re tracking vessels of interest heading toward Iran, as well as those departing Iran that were outside the blockade area when it was ordered, and we are prepared and positioned to intercept them,” he said.