Ceasefire Talks Falter as Deadline Nears; Vance Trip to Pakistan Called Off
GRANTS, N.M. – A twoweek ceasefire between the United States and Iran was nearing its end Tuesday as lastminute negotiations appeared to stall, with U.S. Vice President JD Vance calling off a planned trip to Pakistan and Iranian officials signaling they had not made a final decision to attend talks.
The Associated Press reported from Islamabad that ceasefire talks looked uncertain as the truce was set to expire Wednesday. A U.S. official told AP that Vance, who was expected to lead U.S. negotiators if talks continued, called off his trip. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Iranian state television there had been “no final decision” on participation, citing “unacceptable actions” by the United States – a reference in the report to recent U.S. blockade activity linked to the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, were described as working late Tuesday to try to get both sides to agree to a second round of talks.
In Washington, a U.S. official told AP that President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected back for consultations on next steps. The official cautioned that Trump could change course quickly and said the administration has options short of restarting airstrikes if the ceasefire expires without a deal.
Separate reporting from the Institute for the Study of War explain that ceasefire negotiations have been complicated by internal power struggles in Tehran, and competing views on what any agreement should cover. The ISW and Critical Threats Project has described a serious divide between Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf – who publicly defended negotiations on Iranian state television – and hardline officials opposed to talks, including Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Commander Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi.
The same ISW report said Vahidi appears to have the upper hand and is reportedly the only official with direct access to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, creating uncertainty over who can ultimately commit Iran to peace terms.
In Remembrance
The following U.S. service members were identified in the material provided as having died in the line of duty as a result of recent military action in the Middle East. The Cibola County community honors their service and holds their families in our thoughts.
KC-135 crash in Iraq (6)
• Maj. John A.
Klinner
• Capt. Ariana G. Savino
• Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt
• Capt. Seth R. Koval
• Capt. Curtis J. Angst
• Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons Drone attack in Kuwait (6)
• Capt. Cody A. Khork
• Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens
• Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor
• Sgt. Declan J. Coady
• Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien
• Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan Attack in SaudiArabia (1)
• Sgt. Benjamin Pennington