Vance Trip for Iran Peace Talks Delayed, Summoned to White House
Vice President JD Vance was summoned back to the White House on Tuesday, delaying his planned trip to lead U.S. negotiations with Iran in Islamabad amid uncertainty over Tehran’s participation in the talks.
Vance was scheduled to board a plane and head a U.S. negotiating team in Pakistan’s capital but was unexpectedly called back for policy meetings at the White House. CNN’s Alayna Treene reported that the trip’s status remains unclear, with officials unsure whether it will proceed at all.
“We don’t know if this trip is definitely off,” Treene told anchors Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown. “All we do know is that it is definitely delayed and that we should expect to see now the vice president at the White House for meetings today, not leaving this morning on that plane as we had previously reported.”
Earlier Failed Negotiations
Vance led a similar mission to Islamabad earlier this month alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump adviser Jared Kushner. The talks ended without agreement after Iran refused to commit to abandoning its nuclear weapons program, which the U.S. had sought as a central condition.
“The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” Vance said following those talks. “And I think that’s bad news for Iran, much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America.”
Current Blockade and Ceasefire Status
The U.S. military has increased pressure on Iran by blocking maritime traffic in the region. U.S. Central Command reported on Tuesday that American forces have directed 28 ships to turn around or return to port.
A two-week ceasefire between the U.S., Israel, and Iran is set to expire Wednesday, with President Trump signaling he does not intend to extend it. “I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time,” Trump told CNBC, adding that Iran could improve its position through negotiations.
Iran’s Uncertain Response
As of Tuesday evening, Pakistani officials said they were still awaiting formal confirmation from Iran that it would send a delegation to the Islamabad talks. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that mediators remained “in constant touch” with Iranian officials about the “critical” negotiations.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized the U.S. approach on social media, writing that American understanding of Iran’s position was “even lower than Trump’s level of understanding and comprehension.”
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Diplomatic Efforts Continue
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker met with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday to discuss ongoing diplomatic efforts. Dar stressed that dialogue and diplomacy were the only viable paths to regional peace and urged both the U.S. and Iran to extend the ceasefire and pursue negotiations.
At my cousin’s wedding reception, my mother ordered me to stand so my sister could take my chair. I was eight months pregnant, while my sister had only been pregnant for two months. I said no, and seconds later my father kicked my chair so hard that I fell backward, hit the floor on my belly, and went into early labor in front of everyone.
Bridget’s wedding reception was supposed to be one peaceful evening. The ballroom glowed with amber light from crystal chandeliers, the tables were covered in ivory linens, and every corner of the room felt warm, expensive, and full of celebration. I was seated near the middle of the room, trying to enjoy dinner while quietly managing the weight and discomfort of being thirty-two weeks pregnant.
By that point, sitting down was a relief and standing up was a process. My ankles were swollen, my back hurt constantly, and I had to plan even the smallest movement. My husband Daniel had stepped outside to take a work call from his car, something urgent he promised would only take a few minutes. I watched him leave, then turned back to my plate and tried to relax.
That lasted until my family arrived.
They came in late and loud, the way they always did. My mother’s laugh carried across the ballroom, sharp enough to cut through the music. My father followed behind her, nodding at relatives with his usual stiff expression. My sister Olivia walked between them, one hand resting on her small bump, making sure everyone noticed.
She was only two months pregnant, but my parents had already turned her into the center of every room. People congratulated her as she passed, and she accepted it with that sweet little smile she used whenever attention landed exactly where she wanted it.
I lowered my eyes, hoping they would keep moving.
Instead, my mother came straight to my table.
“Well,” she said, looking down at me. “There you are.”
“I’m at my assigned seat,” I said, trying to keep my voice polite.
She ignored that and looked around the table. A few chairs were empty because guests were dancing, visiting, or standing near the bar. Olivia stayed behind my mother, her hand still pressed against her stomach.
“Your sister needs to sit,” Mom said.
I nodded toward the empty chairs. “There are seats right here.”
“She needs yours.”
For a moment, I honestly thought I had misheard her. “Mine?”
My mother’s mouth tightened. “Yes. Get up.”
I placed a hand on my belly. “Mom, I can’t just jump up. I’m eight months pregnant.”
Her voice dropped lower. “Do not embarrass me. Your sister needs that chair.”
Daniel’s sister Monica leaned forward slightly. “There are other chairs available.”
My mother did not even look at her.
I took a breath. “Olivia is only two months pregnant. I’m thirty-two weeks. I need to stay seated.”
Under the table, my mother’s heel came down hard on my foot. The pain was sharp and deliberate. Her face stayed calm, but her voice turned icy.
“I said get up.”
Something inside me finally refused. Maybe it was exhaustion. Maybe it was the baby. Maybe it was years of being expected to move aside whenever Olivia wanted something.
I pulled my foot back and looked at her directly.
“No.”
The table went quiet.
My mother looked at my father.
I felt him step closer behind me, but I did not have time to turn.
His foot struck the back of my chair with brutal force. The chair jerked backward, tipped, and went past the point where I could save myself. My hands flew toward the table, but I was too off-balance.
Monica screamed.
I fell hard onto the floor, my pregnant belly taking the impact before I could fully twist away. Pain tore through me, deep and terrifying. A warm rush spread beneath me, soaking through my dress and pooling on the polished floor.
For one stunned second, I did not understand.
Then I did.
My water had broken.
Too early.
The music stopped. People stood. Someone shouted for help. I lay there shaking, one hand on my stomach, trying to feel movement, trying to breathe through the fear.
My mother stepped forward, raising her voice above the panic.
“She’s being dramatic,” she said. “She just lost her balance.”
I stared up at her, barely able to believe that even then, with me on the floor and my baby in danger, she was more concerned about controlling the story than telling the truth.
Monica dropped beside me and grabbed my hand. “Don’t move. I’m calling Daniel.”
My father stood behind the overturned chair, silent. Olivia had taken a step back, one hand over her mouth, but she did not look nearly shocked enough.
As another wave of pain tightened through my stomach, I realized this was no longer just another cruel family moment.
