Newsletters
U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News that an Iran deal would be signed "today" in Pakistan and told the New York Post (NYP) that Vice President JD Vance, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were already en route to Islamabad.
He simultaneously expressed willingness to meet Iranian leaders personally and insisted the blockade would stay in place, as Iran's Foreign Ministry said "no decision" had yet been made on whether to participate in talks.
"VP JD Vance is currently expected to depart Washington on Tuesday to travel to Pakistan to take part in the latest round of talks with Iran," people familiar with the plans tell CNN.
"A second round of talks between the U.S. and Iranian delegations are currently planned for Wednesday in Islamabad," the sources said.
Trump confirmed the delegation's departure in a brief New York Post interview shortly after 9 a.m. EST Monday.
"We're supposed to have the talks. So I would assume at this point nobody's playing games," Trump said. He confirmed Vance, Witkoff and Kushner were already en route.
"They're heading over now. They'll be there tonight, Islamabad time," he noted.
He told Fox News the deal would be signed "today" in Pakistan.
1 min read
Trump signaled openness to a direct presidential meeting with the Iranian leadership.
"I have no problem meeting them. If they want to meet, and we have some very capable people, but I have no problem meeting them," he told the New York Post.
He reiterated his core non-negotiable: "Get rid of their nuclear weapons. That's all very simple. There will be no nuclear weapon."
He added, "Otherwise, a wonderful country, it truly could be."
Asked whether the U.S. knew who was leading Iran, Trump said: "We have pretty good ideas, and we think we're dealing with the right people."
On what would happen if talks collapsed: "Well, I don't want to get into that with you. You can imagine. It wouldn't be pretty."
Trump also told PBS News on Monday morning that if the ceasefire with Iran expires Tuesday, "then lots of bombs start going off."
When asked whether Iran will be participating in the talks that will be happening in Islamabad? Will they still be there? Trump said, "I don't know. I mean, they're supposed to be there. We agreed to be there, although they say we didn't. But no, it was set up. And we'll see whether or not it's there. If they're not there, that's fine too."
"No nuclear weapons. Very simple. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Very simple," he added.
"Well, he was there before, long time before, and he's purely negotiating for the fact that they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. Whether you have business or not, everybody knows that's the right thing. He's a very good negotiator. No, I mean, we're not negotiating anything other than the fact that they will not have a nuclear weapon. And that's pretty basic when you get right down to it. So you know, that's it. I sent an A-team. I sent my A-Team, he's done an excellent job. He doesn't participate with Saudi now, as you know. He's taken… He doesn't do that. He has a business but he doesn't participate now," Trump noted.
Iran's Foreign Ministry said Monday that "no decision" had been made on whether to hold talks with the U.S., a direct contradiction of Trump's "deal today" framing.
Iranian sources had previously told CNN the delegation would arrive on Tuesday.
Oil markets responded to the combination of the Iranian vessel seizure and diplomatic uncertainty.
Brent crude rose to approximately $94 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate to roughly $88.
AAA reported the average U.S. gas price at $4 on Monday morning.
Trump pushed back on Energy Secretary Chris Wright's CNN assessment that gas prices might not fall below $3 until next year.
"No, I think he's wrong on that. Totally wrong," Trump told The Hill. When asked when prices would drop, he said "as soon as this ends," referring to the Iran war.
Wright had said: "I don't know. That could happen later this year. That might not happen until next year. But prices have likely peaked and they will start going down. Certainly, with a resolution of this conflict, you will see prices go down."
This contrasted with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's prediction last week that gas prices could reach the $3 range by summer.
Reuters reported that Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir told Trump the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports was a hurdle to negotiations and that Trump said he would consider the advice. Trump denied this.
"Munir didn't recommend anything on the blockade. The blockade is very powerful, very strong. They lose $500 million a day with the blockade up. We control it. They don't control it," Trump told The Hill.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
