A person briefed on the matter said U.S. Vice President JD Vance engaged with intermediaries from Pakistan about the Iran conflict as recently as Tuesday. The conversations form part of an expanding role Vance has assumed in efforts to negotiate an end to the fighting.
According to the person, Vance, acting at the direction of President Donald Trump, privately signaled that the president would consider a ceasefire so long as certain U.S. conditions were satisfied. One such condition spelled out during the private exchanges was the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
In addition to the conditional overture on a ceasefire, Vance delivered what the person described as a "stern message" - a warning that the president was growing impatient. The message communicated that unless Tehran agreed to a deal, there would be escalating pressure on Iranian infrastructure.
The person said Pakistan has been functioning as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, facilitating communications in the effort to secure a resolution. Vance’s involvement has stepped up as negotiations have continued; the conflict is now in its fifth week.
Vance’s approach to the situation has been measured, consistent with a longer-standing skepticism about prolonged U.S. military engagements overseas. The person noted that Vance is widely viewed as a possible successor to President Trump in the 2028 presidential race, and that his posture on the conflict reflects caution about extended intervention.
President Trump has publicly warned that the United States would carry out attacks on Iranian infrastructure, but, as the person reported, he has held off on striking Iran’s power grid until April 6 in the hopes that a deal with Tehran can be reached before that date.
The reported exchanges via Pakistani intermediaries, the private indication that a ceasefire could be acceptable under specific conditions, and the warning of increasing pressure on Iranian infrastructure together outline a diplomatic push that combines conditional conciliation with clear threats of escalation if Iran does not agree to terms.
Summary
U.S. Vice President JD Vance used Pakistani channels as recently as Tuesday to convey to Iran a mix of conditional openness to a ceasefire and firm warnings about potential pressure on Iranian infrastructure, speaking at President Donald Trump’s direction. Pakistan has been acting as an intermediary, and the conflict is now in its fifth week. The president has delayed attacks on Iran’s power grid until April 6 while seeking a deal.