By Steve Holland WASHINGTON, April 1 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President JD Vance communicated with intermediaries from Pakistan about the Iran conflict as recently as Tuesday, a person briefed on the
US Vice President Vance spoke to intermediaries about Iran conflict as recently as Tuesday, source says
Vice President Vance's Diplomatic Efforts in the Iran Conflict
By Steve Holland
Recent Communications with Intermediaries
WASHINGTON, April 1 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President JD Vance communicated with intermediaries from Pakistan about the Iran conflict as recently as Tuesday, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters, a sign of his expanding role in efforts to broker an end to the conflict.
Signals from the Trump Administration
At President Donald Trump's direction, Vance signaled privately that Trump was open to a ceasefire as long as certain U.S. demands were met, the source told Reuters on Wednesday.
Stern Message to Tehran
Vance also delivered what the source described as a "stern message" that Trump was impatient, warning there would be growing pressure on Iranian infrastructure unless Tehran agreed to a deal.
Role of Pakistan as an Intermediary
Pakistan has been acting as an intermediary between the United States and Iran, the source said.
Vance's Expanding Role and Political Positioning
Vance has taken a greater role in trying to negotiate an end to the war, now in its fifth week. Widely viewed as a potential successor to Trump in the 2028 presidential election, Vance has taken a cautious approach on the conflict, reflecting his long-held skepticism of prolonged U.S. military involvement overseas.
Key Negotiators in the Process
The source said the team that Trump has said are involved in negotiations - Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner - remain involved.
Potential U.S. Actions and Ceasefire Prospects
Trump has warned the U.S. would attack Iranian infrastructure but has delayed launching such attacks on Iran's power grid until April 6 in hopes of reaching a deal with Tehran.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Daphne Psaledakis, Colleen Jenkins and Nia Williams)
