JD Vance issues 4-word warning to Iran as crunch peace talks loom | World | News
JD Vance has warned the Iranian regime not to “try to play us” before heading to Pakistan for crunch peace talks. Leaving for Islamabad, where the talks are going to take place tomorrow (April 11), he said: “if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand.
“If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive.” Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will also attend. Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam had said in a post on X that an Iranian delegation would arrive in Islamabad on Thursday night for talks. The post read: “Despite skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative, invited by Hon. PM Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif previously warned peace talks could be jeopardised by ceasefire violations that took place earlier this week.
He said: “Violations of ceasefire have been reported at few places across the conflict zone which, undermine the spirit of peace process. I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict.”
Islamic Republic Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi condemnded the ongoing fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces in Lebanon. Posting on X, he said: “The Iran–U.S ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the US must choose—ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both.
“The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the US court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.”
The ceasefire appeared fragile after Israel struck Lebanon, while the UAE and Kuwait faced missile and drone attacks on Wednesday, and Hezbollah fired on northern Israel early on Thursday.
The Middle East has been in conflict since February 28 when the US and Israel carried out joint strikes on several key Iranian sites. Iran retaliated by striking countries across the region and blocking the critical oil trade route the Strait of Hormuz.
Just 24 hours after a ceasefire deal was announced, Donald Trump vowed the “destruction” of Iran. In a post on Truth Social late on Wednesday, Trump confirmed that US military personnel and ammunition would remain in position.
Part of the post read: “All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said there was still work to do to ensure “this ceasefire should be not a temporary ceasefire but a permanent ceasefire”. He added: “On top of that, we have to acknowledge that this war was not our war, but my job is to protect the UK.
“It’s already had an impact on the UK, and it’s very important we get the Strait of Hormuz open. There’s a lot of work to do there.”
The US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s response, including targeting Gulf states and effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, had sent fossil fuel prices soaring around the world. Petrol and diesel costs for motorists in the UK rose sharply after Mr Trump launched his military action.
The average price of diesel was 190.6p on Wednesday morning, up 34% since February 28 when the US-Israeli campaign began, while average unleaded prices reached 157.7p, up 19%, the RAC said.
