Vance Leads Talks in Pakistan to Extend Iran Ceasefire

U.S. Vice President JD Vance departed Washington on Friday for Islamabad, Pakistan, to lead negotiations aimed at transforming a fragile two-week ceasefire with Iran into a lasting peace agreement. The talks, hosted by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, are set to address persistent tensions over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and other regional flashpoints.

The ceasefire, announced by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, took effect just before an 8 p.m. deadline that could have prompted renewed U.S. strikes on Iranian targets. It requires Iran to ensure safe passage through the strait, a vital waterway for about one-quarter of the world's seaborne oil, in exchange for a halt to attacks on Iranian territory by the United States and its allies. U.S. officials have hailed the pause as a victory following a 40-day conflict that began on February 28, during which American forces destroyed much of Iran's missile and drone capabilities. However, the agreement has faced immediate challenges, with only nine commercial ships exiting the strait on Thursday, compared to 135 daily before the war.

Vance, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland before boarding Air...