Vice ​President JD Vance said ‌on Friday he was looking forward to having positive negotiations ​with Iran as he ​left for talks in Pakistan ⁠with a warning to ​Tehran not to “play us.”

“We’re ​looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s going to be ​positive,” Vance told ​reporters before leaving Washington.

“As the president ‌of ⁠the United States said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good ​faith, ​we’re ⁠certainly willing to extend the open hand,” ​Vance said. “If they’re ​going ⁠to try to play us, then they’re going to ⁠find ​the negotiating ​team is not that receptive.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev ​is currently in the U.S. and ‌is meeting members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration for discussions on a peace ​deal for Ukraine and U.S.-Russia economic ​cooperation, sources with knowledge of the visit ⁠told Reuters.

The visit comes before the ​U.S. decision on whether to extend ​sanctions relief on Russian oil, which expires on April 11 and could also be on the agenda.

The United ​States issued a 30-day waiver for countries ​to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products currently ‌stranded ⁠at sea, in what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described as a step to stabilize global energy markets roiled by ​Iran war.

The ​sanctions relief ⁠took place after a call between Trump and Putin on ​March 9 and a subsequent ​visit ⁠to the U.S. by Dmitriev to discuss the energy crisis with a U.S. delegation ⁠that ​included Trump’s special envoy ​Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Mark Rutte has urged NATO capitals to consider rapid commitments to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump signaled he wants concrete support within days.

Reuters reported that Rutte briefed several allied governments following a meeting with Trump in Washington on Wednesday, held against the backdrop of mounting tensions within NATO over the conflict with Iran.

Diplomats said frustration is growing in Washington, but some allies have pushed back, noting they were not consulted before or after the outbreak of hostilities.

While NATO as an alliance is not expected to take a direct role in military action against Iran, there is willingness among member states to explore longer-term measures to safeguard shipping through Hormuz, particularly as diplomatic efforts with Tehran continue.

Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO, describing it as ineffective and warning he could reconsider U.S. membership in the 32-country alliance. He has also argued that European allies have relied too heavily on American security guarantees while offering insufficient backing for the U.S.-Israeli campaign targeting Iran.

Although Trump announced earlier this week that strikes on Iran would pause under a two-week ceasefire, tensions have persisted.

Following his meeting with Rutte, Trump wrote on social media that NATO had failed to support the United States when needed and would likely do so again.

Rutte, who has cultivated a reputation in Europe for maintaining open lines with Trump, acknowledged the U.S. president’s dissatisfaction in a CNN interview, saying he could understand Washington’s concerns about burden-sharing within the alliance.

Meanwhile, early-stage international efforts are underway to address the situation in Hormuz. Britain is leading discussions among roughly 40 countries on a combined military and diplomatic approach to reopen and protect the vital shipping route. Emmanuel Macron said about 15 nations are considering steps to help restore maritime traffic.

However, officials caution that progress is likely to be slow. France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the strait cannot fully reopen without a durable agreement between Washington and Tehran.

Britain and Italy have also rejected suggestions from Iran that it could impose transit fees on vessels crossing the waterway.

Diplomats say discussions on Hormuz are proceeding separately from the recent White House talks, with European governments balancing the urgency expressed by Washington against the need for broader political conditions to stabilize the region.

“We understand the urgency from the U.S. side,” one diplomat said. “But the priority is not simply to respond to Washington — it is to ensure the right conditions are in place for a sustainable solution.”