Trump said his team is heading to Pakistan to cut a deal with Iran, but Tehran reportedly believes it’s a trap

Vice President JD Vance is set to lead a group of U.S. officials to Islamabad for talks with Iran, aimed at securing a deal before the current ceasefire ends on Tuesday night. President Trump has publicly expressed confidence in the process, but Iranian officials are showing deep skepticism about the U.S. administration’s real intentions.

Trump shared his thoughts on the situation during a brief call with Axios. He said, “I feel fine about it. The concept of the deal is done. I think we have a very good chance to get it completed.” Earlier that day, Trump had mentioned that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were heading to Pakistan to represent U.S. interests, but it now appears that Vance will play a central role in the negotiations.

There is also a possibility that Witkoff and Kushner might arrive in Islamabad first, with Vance joining them later if talks actually get started. The exact timing of his departure from Washington remains unclear.

Iran is calling the Pakistan talks a trap, and its actions in the Strait of Hormuz are making diplomacy even harder

Iranian officials have been lowering expectations, with many saying the talk of a deal is just a cover for a planned military strike. Iran’s state news agency officially denied that any talks were planned, pointing to what it described as unreasonable demands, frequent position changes, and constant contradictions from the Trump administration.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that an Iranian delegation will not be attending the planned talks in Islamabad, arguing that the U.S. has violated the ceasefire since it began. This is not the first time Iranian officials have directly contradicted Trump’s statements on live television, and Baghaei added that Iran cannot forget the U.S. attacks that happened during previous rounds of negotiations.

Adding to the tension, Iran attacked several commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, shortly after announcing it was closing the strait again. This came after Trump declined a request to lift the blockade. Tehran also claimed that the U.S. had introduced new maximalist positions, which further complicated the diplomatic situation.

In response, Trump held an unusual Saturday Situation Room meeting. Despite the escalating crisis, a U.S. official said that Trump still expressed a desire to reach a deal before exploring other options. Trump then took to Truth Social morning to express his frustration. He wrote, “Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz, A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement!”

Trump also issued a stark warning about what would happen if a deal is not reached. He stated, “We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!”

He added, “They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years. IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!” Trump has made headlines recently for other unusual public moments as well, such as when he explained a viral image holding McDonald’s bags outside the Oval Office.

On the ground in Islamabad, Pakistan has put in place extensive security measures, including shutting down major roads and deploying thousands of police and paramilitary personnel from across the country, Al Jazeera reports. The ceasefire is set to end on Tuesday night, and the window for a breakthrough is closing fast.

Whether the delegation led by Vance can reach a lasting agreement remains to be seen, but the contrast between the optimistic tone from the White House and the cold, suspicious response from Tehran makes it hard to predict what happens next.