Franco Ordonez

And again, it comes as American and Iranian teams are meeting in Pakistan for peace talks led by the vice president, Vance.

You know, they kicked off this morning between the U.S., Iran and Pakistan, which, of course, is serving as host and intermediary for the talks.

Vance is leading a team that includes President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The high stakes role represents what may be Vance's most significant moment of his political career.

It will certainly be a defining factor as he looks further ahead to a possible run at the White House himself.

It's also a strategic move by the administration.

Vance is known as the member of the cabinet who is most opposed to the war.

So choosing him for these talks, according to foreign policy experts, is a possible sign to Iranians that the Trump administration is serious about peace.

Franco Ordonez, NPR News.

Speaking to reporters before departing for Pakistan, Vance said he expects positive talks.

Vance is leading a high-level delegation that will meet for the sensitive talks in Islamabad.

It'll be perhaps his biggest test yet as he seeks to find common ground between two countries that have been enemies for decades.

The state of the ceasefire continues to face challenges as Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah forces continue to launch strikes against each other.

President Trump is accusing Tehran of doing a, quote, very poor job of reopening the strait, a key part of the ceasefire.

Franco, Ordonez, NPR News, the White House.

President Trump has raged against the alliance for declining to take part in his attack on Iran or helping secure the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that they failed his test to see if they truly backed the U.S.

After the meeting, Trump exclaimed on social media that, quote,

NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again.

But he did not say he was pulling the U.S.

out of the alliance.