Vice President Vance Delays Departure for Pakistan, Leaving U.S.-Iran Talks in Limbo

[The Financial News, New York = Lee Byung-chul]JD Vance, the Vice President of the United States, has not yet joined the follow-up talks with Iran scheduled in Pakistan and remains in Washington, D.C., leaving the negotiation timetable uncertain.
According to the White House on the 21st local time, Vance had originally been set to depart for Pakistan, but he delayed the trip and stayed in Washington, D.C. for additional policy meetings. Pakistan said it was ready to resume the talks, but the exact arrival times of the U.S. and Iranian delegations have still not been confirmed.
Iran has sharply criticized U.S. military pressure and has not made clear whether it will take part in the talks. Still, unofficially, the possibility of resuming negotiations remains open. Senior Iranian officials are reviewing the delegation's trip to Pakistan, and if Vice President Vance joins the talks, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Parliament of Iran who is leading the negotiating team, could also come to the table, sources said.
As of local time, Iran had still not issued an official position. The Pakistani government has deployed thousands of security personnel in Islamabad in preparation for the possibility that the talks will take place.
President of the United States Donald Trump remained optimistic about the possibility of negotiations, while not ruling out military options. In an interview with CNBC, he said, "There is not much time left," and added, "If no agreement is reached, the U.S. military is ready to bomb Iran again."


pride@fnnews.com Lee Byung-chul Reporter