"Mojtaba Approves Second Round of Talks with U.S.; Negotiating Teams Expected to Depart"

"Approval Granted on the Night of the 20th"
"U.S. Vice President Vance to Depart on the 21st"

EPA Yonhap News

Axios reported on April 20 (local time), citing sources, that Iran's new leader Mojtaba Khamenei has approved a second round of negotiations with the United States. As a result, it is expected that the second round of talks between the two sides will be held before the ceasefire deadline of April 22 (Eastern Time), which was set by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Axios stated, "The Iranian negotiating team had been waiting for approval from Supreme Leader Mojtaba, and the approval was granted on the night of the 20th." The report went on, "Mojtaba's approval was ultimately given following calls from mediator countries such as Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey for Iran to participate in the negotiations." It also added, "The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had been delaying the talks, insisting that negotiations should not take place as long as the U.S. blockade remained in effect."

With Iran now agreeing to participate in the talks, it is expected that the U.S. negotiating team will also depart for Islamabad, Pakistan, the site of the negotiations. Quoting U.S. sources, Axios previously reported, "The U.S. negotiating team led by Vice President JD Vance is expected to depart for Pakistan on April 21," adding, "Some sources said Vice President Vance could leave late on the night of the 20th."

Vice President Vance, who led the U.S. negotiating team during the first round of talks on April 11, is once again expected to travel to Islamabad, accompanied by President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and the President's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Accordingly, both the United States and Iran are expected to hold the second round of talks before the ceasefire deadline set by President Trump. Previously, President Trump stated that "the deadline is the evening of the 22nd, Eastern Time" regarding the ceasefire. Originally, the mutually agreed ceasefire deadline between the U.S. and Iran was until the 21st.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.