US Media: US Indicates Burns Will Lead Delegation to Islamabad to Restart Negotiations, Iran Suspects It Is a Cover for "Attack"

April 20th — U.S. officials said Vice President Vance will lead a delegation to Islamabad for new talks with Iran on Tuesday night, ahead of the ceasefire’s expiration, per an Axios report. The meeting could offer a last-minute chance for an agreement or ceasefire extension—though Iran hasn’t confirmed it will participate, raising concerns it may be a White House ploy. Local time Sunday, Trump told Axios in a brief call he’s optimistic about the proposed talks. “I feel good about it. The agreement’s framework is already done. I think we’re very likely to finalize it,” he said. Iran, however, is downplaying expectations, suspecting Trump’s talk of an agreement could be a cover for a U.S. strike. As of Sunday afternoon, Iran hadn’t confirmed sending negotiators to Islamabad—multiple Iranian officials suggested Trump’s real goal may be to reignite the conflict. Iran’s state news agency denied the talks were planned, citing the Trump administration’s “unreasonable, unrealistic demands, frequent flip-flopping, and ongoing contradictions” plus ongoing sanctions as creating “no clear path to fruitful negotiations.” When the talks might start or when Vance will leave Washington remains unclear. (FXStreet)