Vice President JD Vance is making history right now. He’s sitting across from Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, cutting deals that could reshape the Middle East. The high-stakes negotiations are happening behind closed doors as you read this.
This isn’t your typical diplomatic dance. Iran is coming to the table because they’re militarily defeated. President Trump made that crystal clear when he briefed Vance before the trip.
“They’re militarily defeated,” Trump said. “And now we’re going to open up the Gulf with them, with them without them. But that’ll be open. We’re going to be, or the straightest they call it. And I think it’s going to go pretty quickly. And if it doesn’t, we’ll be able to finish it off. One way or the other.”
Vance isn’t alone in Pakistan. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are with him, conducting these sensitive talks on Trump’s behalf. The President is monitoring everything from the White House.
🚨 IT HAS BEGUN! Peace negotiations are now underway.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) April 11, 2026
Vice President JD Vance is behind closed doors in Islamabad, Pakistan, meeting directly with Iranian officials. pic.twitter.com/qkMqW6kZXd
Lucas Thomas is reporting live from Islamabad, capturing the intensity of these closed-door sessions. “Happening right now, Vice President JD Vance is inside the room with top Iranian officials trying to cut a deal,” Thomas reported. “He is in Pakistan with Steve Woodcoff and Jared Kushner for some high-level talks with Iran. And President Trump is monitoring all of it from the White House.”
The focus is the Strait of Hormuz. This vital shipping lane carries a massive portion of the world’s oil supply. Iran has used it as a weapon against the global economy for decades, threatening to close it whenever they wanted leverage.
Not anymore.
The Trump administration’s approach is simple: peace through strength. They defeated Iran militarily, and now they’re dictating terms from a position of dominance. This is the opposite of the Obama administration’s failed Iran nuclear deal, where America gave Iran billions in cash while getting nothing in return.
These aren’t appeasement negotiations. These are surrender talks.
Trump’s directive to Vance was clear. Open the Gulf. Secure those shipping lanes. Do it with Iran’s cooperation if possible, without it if necessary. The “one way or the other” message leaves no room for misinterpretation.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. The Strait of Hormuz handles about 20 percent of global oil shipments. When Iran threatens to close it, gas prices spike worldwide. American families pay more at the pump. The global economy suffers.
But Iran’s position is weak now. Their military capabilities have been degraded. Their proxies across the region are in retreat. Their economy is crippled by sanctions. They need this deal more than America does.
That’s the key difference between Trump’s foreign policy and what we saw from previous administrations. Trump negotiates from strength. He doesn’t send pallets of cash to dictators hoping they’ll behave. He doesn’t beg for meetings with hostile regimes.
He defeats them first, then offers them a way out.
Vance’s presence in Pakistan sends multiple messages. First, America is serious about Middle East peace. Second, that peace will be on American terms. Third, Iran’s isolation is complete when even Pakistan is hosting talks against their interests.
