Vance to travel to Pakistan on Tuesday for Iran talks, sources say

Vice President Vance is expected to depart for Islamabad by Tuesday morning for talks with https://www.axios.com/world/iran" target="_blank">Iran over a potential deal to end the war, three U.S. sources tell Axios.

Why it matters: Vance will arrive in Pakistan with the ceasefire on the verge expiring.

President Trump has https://www.axios.com/2026/04/20/iran-war-trump-posts-israel-nuclear-deal-peace-talks" target="_blank">threatened to launch a new bombing campaign on Iranian bridges and power plants if a deal can't be reached.

• While a full-scale deal on such a tight timeline would be difficult, Trump could also agree to extend the deadline if there are signs of progress.
• Trump already effectively added a day.

  While the two weeks agreed in the ceasefire will run out on Tuesday, he said on Monday that the deadline was Wednesday evening.

Behind the scenes: The White House spent https://www.axios.com/2026/04/20/trump-iran-deal-confusion" target="_blank">all of Monday waiting for a signal from Tehran that it would send its negotiating team to Islamabad.

• A source with knowledge said the Iranians were stalling amid apparent pressure from the Revolutionary Guards on the negotiators to hold a firmer line: no talks without an end to the U.S. blockade
• The Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators urged the Iranians to come to the meeting.
• The Iranian team waited for a green light from the supreme leader.

  It came on Monday night, according to the source.

What's next: Two sources said Vance would depart on Tuesday morning, while a third said he might leave late Monday night.

• Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are also expected to travel to Islamabad for the talks.