Iranian Vice President Warns Peace Deal Hinges on U.S. Prioritizing American Interests Over Israel

Iran's VP Mohammad Reza Aref warns that Islamabad peace talks with the US will fail if Washington prioritizes Israeli interests over American ones.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 11, 2026, 6:26 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Times of Israel

The Red Line in Islamabad

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref issued a stark ultimatum regarding the high-stakes peace negotiations currently convening in Pakistan. Speaking ahead of the formal sessions, Aref asserted that the success of any diplomatic resolution to the current Middle East conflict depends entirely on the priorities of the American delegation. He argued that a mutually beneficial agreement is "probable" only if U.S. representatives operate under President Donald Trump’s "America First" doctrine. Conversely, Aref warned that if the negotiations are dictated by what he termed an "Israel First" agenda, Tehran will reject any proposed deal and accelerate its military defense operations.

Pre-Summit Coordination with Pakistan

The diplomatic maneuvering intensified on Saturday morning as an Iranian delegation, reportedly led by Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistani state media confirmed that the meeting focused on establishing the final protocols for the direct Iran-U.S. dialogue. Prime Minister Sharif has described the Islamabad summit as a "make-or-break moment" for the region, positioning Pakistan as a central mediator in the effort to transition a fragile temporary truce into a permanent cessation of hostilities.

A Warning of Escalation and Global Costs

Vice President Aref’s rhetoric emphasized the high stakes of a potential diplomatic failure, noting that the absence of a deal would force Iran to continue its defense "even more vigorously than before." He cautioned that the collapse of these talks would impose "greater costs" on the global community, an apparent reference to the ongoing maritime tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional instability. This warning serves as a strategic counter-pressure to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who arrived in Islamabad with a delegation authorized to negotiate an end to the weeks-long "war on Iran" while simultaneously maintaining a firm stance on nuclear non-proliferation.