Vance to lead talks in Iran on Saturday

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(The Center Square) - Vice President JD Vance will lead talks with Iranian leaders in Islamabad on Saturday. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Vance will be joined by several members of President Donald Trump's cabinet including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Pakistan's capital over the weekend. She said the first round of talks will begin on Saturday. 

"Vice President Vance has played a very significant and a key role in this since the very beginning," Leavitt said. "He's the president's right hand man. He's been involved in all of these talks since the very beginning."

Leavitt also discredited reports from Iranian state media that the country is blocking passage through the Strait of Hormuz. She said the reports are false and that passage through the Strait was continuing as normal. 

"This is a case of what they're saying publicly is different than privately," Leavitt said. "Privately, we have seen an uptick of traffic in the Strait today."

Leavitt did not rule out future military action to secure free passage in the Strait of Hormuz if Iran does not open it to the public. 

"This ceasefire is subject to the free, safe and immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz," Leavitt said. "We expect that the Strait will be opened immediately."

Leavitt praised military action in Iran, and said the United States had destroyed 150 Iranian naval vessles and destroyed its ability to develop nuclear weapons. 

Leavitt added that the United States initially rejected Iran's 10-point proposal for a peace deal. She said a later 15-point proposal from Iran was a "workable basis" to negotiate as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains open. 

Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth laid out four military objectives: Destroying Iran's missile capabilities, neutralizing its navy, preventing the development of nuclear weapons, and ensuring the regime can't direct terrorism beyond its borders.

"President Trump has a proven track record of achieving good deals on behalf of the United States and the American people, and he will only accept one that puts America first," Leavitt said.