Iran Says Deal Possible If US Focuses On 'America First' Instead Of 'Israel First'

Last Updated:April 11, 2026, 16:09 IST

Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said Iran would scrap any deal and continue fighting if it faced representatives of 'Israel First'.

Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said a deal was possible with the US if it focused on ‘America First’ instead of ‘Israel First’, as the high-profile ceasefire talks are set to begin in Islamabad on Saturday to bring an end to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

His remarks came as Pakistan is hosting key talks between the United States and Iran to end the war. An Iranian delegation led by Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf has arrived in Islamabad, while the US side is being led by Vice President JD Vance.

Aref said Iran would scrap any deal and continue fighting if it faced representatives of ‘Israel First’, adding that the world would face greater costs as a result of the conflict.

“If we negotiate in Islamabad with representatives of ‘America First,’ an agreement beneficial to both sides and the world is probable. However, if we face representatives of ‘Israel First,’ there will be no deal; we will inevitably continue our defence even more vigorously than before, and the world will face greater costs," he said on X.

The United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, killing a swath of top officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The war drove up energy prices, disrupted international travel, and threatened the security of Gulf nations before US President Donald Trump ordered a two-week pause in fighting.

The two sides are expected to hold indirect talks, sitting in separate rooms at a hotel in Islamabad, with Pakistani officials acting as mediators. A major point of disagreement is Lebanon, with Iran insisting the ceasefire should include Israeli strikes there, while the US and Israel disagree.

US Vice President JD Vance has already arrived in Islamabad, accompanied by President Donald Trump’s son Jared Kushner and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. He was welcomed by Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

The US insists Iran must never be able to build nuclear weapons and wants to remove Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which could be used to make them. Iran insists its programme is peaceful. Trump has said that the US would work with Iran to remove the uranium, though Tehran has not confirmed that.

More than 3,000 people have been killed in Iran, a top Iranian officer told state-run media. Iran’s government has not provided any definitive death toll from the war.

News world Iran Says Deal Possible If US Focuses On 'America First' Instead Of 'Israel First'

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