Chicago – April 22, 2026
President Donald Trump met with his national security team at the White House as a critical deadline approached in ongoing tensions with Iran. The administration faced growing uncertainty after receiving no response from Tehran regarding a set of proposed deal points ahead of planned negotiations.
Vice President JD Vance was scheduled to depart for Pakistan for another round of talks, but the silence from Iran raised doubts about the effectiveness of the trip. Senior officials, including Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Dan Caine, and John Ratcliffe, joined discussions on how to proceed.
Despite efforts to obtain a response through Pakistani intermediaries, including Field Marshal Asim Munir, no communication was received. US officials suspect internal divisions within Iran’s leadership are delaying a unified stance, particularly on contentious issues such as uranium enrichment and stockpile limits.
Concerns also center on the role of Mojtaba Khamenei, with uncertainty over whether clear directives have been issued. The lack of consensus in Tehran has complicated diplomatic efforts, leaving US officials weighing their next move carefully.
