WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance’s planned departure for critical peace talks in Islamabad was abruptly halted Tuesday, after he was unexpectedly recalled to the White House amid growing doubts over Iran’s participation.
CNN’s Alayna Treene reported that Vance shifted to high-level White House meetings instead of boarding his plane to Pakistan. Joined in previous talks by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Vance revealed negotiations faltered over Tehran’s refusal to pledge an “affirmative commitment” against pursuing nuclear weapons—a standoff he warned would prove “much worse for Iran” than the United States.
The sudden delay comes as a fragile two-week ceasefire between the U.S., Israel, and Iran approaches its expiration. Tensions remain sky-high following a U.S. naval blockade that has already turned back 28 ships near Iranian ports. Despite intensive mediation led by Pakistani officials, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took to social media to mock the negotiations, leaving a formal response on delegation attendance dangerously abse
While Pakistani leaders urged both nations to extend the temporary truce and give diplomacy a chance, Washington is taking a starkly different approach. President Donald Trump publicly rejected extending the ceasefire, signaling a tight deadline for Tehran to strike a lasting bargain. “We don’t have that much time,” Trump stated, emphasizing that Iran can rebuild into a strong nation—if it agrees to a permanent deal now.