Trump cancels envoys' Pakistan trip, in blow to hopes for Iran war breakthrough

Summary

• Trump cancels envoys' weekend visit to Pakistani capital
• Iranian foreign minister Araghchi leaves Islamabad after talks
• Araghchi says he has yet to see if US is 'truly serious about diplomacy'

President Donald Trump cancelled a trip by two US envoys to Iran war mediator Pakistan ‌on Saturday (25 April), dealing a new setback to peace prospects after Iran's foreign minister departed Islamabad after speaking only to Pakistani officials.

While peace talks failed to materialize Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his troops to "forcefully" attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, his office said, further testing a three-week ceasefire.

Trump told reporters in Florida that he decided to call off the ​planned visit by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner because the talks in Islamabad involved too much travel and expense, and ​Iran's latest peace offer was not good enough for him.

Before boarding Air Force One on Saturday for a return flight ⁠to Washington, Trump said Iran had improved an offer to resolve the conflict after he cancelled the visit, "but not enough."

In a social media post, ​Trump also wrote there was "tremendous infighting and confusion" within Iran's leadership.

"Nobody knows who is in charge, including them. Also, we have all the cards, they have ​none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!" he posted on Truth Social.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi earlier left the Pakistani capital without any sign of a breakthrough in talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials.

Araghchi later described his visit to Pakistan as "very fruitful," adding in a social media post that he had "shared Iran's ​position concerning (a) workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the US is truly serious about diplomacy".

Iranian media reported ​that Araghchi had flown to Oman's capital Muscat, saying he will meet with senior officials to "discuss and exchange views on bilateral relations and regional developments".

Sharif wrote in ‌a post ⁠on X that he spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian about the regional security situation and told him that Pakistan was committed to serving "as an honest and sincere facilitator – working tirelessly to advance durable peace and lasting stability."

Tehran has ruled out a new round of direct talks with the United States and an Iranian diplomatic source said his country would not accept Washington's "maximalist demands".

Iran and us at an impasse

Washington and Tehran are at an impasse as Iran has largely ​closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally ​carries one-fifth of global oil and ⁠liquefied natural gas shipments, while the US blocks Iran's oil exports.

The conflict, in which a ceasefire is in force, began with US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28. Iran has since carried out strikes against Israel, US bases ​and Gulf states, and the war has pushed up energy prices to multi-year highs, stoking inflation and darkening global ​growth prospects.

Araghchi "explained our ⁠country's principled positions regarding the latest developments related to the ceasefire and the complete end of the imposed war against Iran", said a statement on the minister's official Telegram account.

Asked about Tehran's reservations over US positions in the talks, an Iranian diplomatic source in Islamabad told Reuters: "Principally, Iranian side will not accept maximalist demands."

White House press ⁠secretary Karoline ​Leavitt had said the US had seen some progress from the Iranian side in recent days ​and hoped more would come over the weekend, while Vice President JD Vance was ready to travel to Pakistan as well.

Vance led a first round of unsuccessful talks with Iran in Islamabad earlier this ​month.