Trump says ‘backup plan’ not needed for Iran talks; wishes Vance ‘luck’

President Trump stated Friday that no backup plan is needed for U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan being led by Vice President Vance, asserting that Iran's military has been degraded and defeated. The Hill reports Trump's comments directly to reporters before departing Washington, with confirmation from multiple major outlets (NBC, Reuters, BBC, CNN, ABC News) that Vance is indeed heading to Pakistan for these negotiations amid broader Middle East tensions including Israeli-Lebanese ceasefire talks and Iranian shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz. The reporting shows solid sourcing from direct Trump statements and White House announcements, though The Hill's description provides limited detail on the actual negotiating framework, Iranian position, or specific diplomatic objectives beyond Trump's military posturing. Critical readers should monitor the outcome of Vance's talks in Pakistan, the status of the Strait of Hormuz (currently closed per Iranian action), and whether Israeli-Lebanese ceasefire discussions in Washington proceed as scheduled, as these developments could significantly impact the trajectory of U.S.-Iran negotiations.