President Donald Trump on Saturday cancelled a scheduled trip by US officials to Pakistan intended for negotiations regarding the ongoing war with Iran.
The decision was announced shortly after the Iranian delegation had departed from Islamabad.
The president stated that special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner would be wasting too much time on the journey.
He suggested that if the Iranian leadership wished to negotiate, they should initiate contact directly, remarking that they simply need to call.
Trump attributed the cancellation to what he described as tremendous infighting and confusion within the Iranian administration.
He claimed that the leadership in Tehran is currently so fractured that no one is certain who is in charge.
Mediated talks yield little progress
The cancellation followed a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad, where he held discussions with Pakistani mediators.
Araghchi stated that he had presented Iran’s framework for a permanent end to the war but expressed doubt over whether the US was truly serious about diplomacy.
Diplomatic momentum appears to have stalled despite Trump’s earlier decision to extend a ceasefire.
The original ceasefire was set to expire on 22 April but was pushed back to allow for continued negotiations mediated by Pakistan.
The conflict remains centred on two primary issues: Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has restricted passage through this vital shipping route following the commencement of US and Israeli strikes in February, while the US has increased its naval presence to block Iranian oil exports.
Leverage and future outlook
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump asserted that the US maintains total leverage in the situation, stating that Washington holds all the cards while Tehran has none.
When asked by Axios if the aborted trip indicated a return to active hostilities, he noted that the administration had not yet considered that possibility.
The White House previously indicated that Vice President JD Vance had been on standby to join the delegation if initial progress was made.
Vance had led the first round of talks earlier this month, which lasted over 21 hours but failed to produce a breakthrough.
While Pakistan continues its efforts to facilitate dialogue, the two sides remain at a standoff.
Iran maintains that a lifting of the US blockade is a prerequisite for direct talks, whereas Washington continues to demand verifiable guarantees regarding the termination of Iran’s nuclear programme.
