Pakistan Army Chief and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir (3rd R) meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (3rd L) upon his arrival in Islamabad on April 25, 2026.
– | Afp | Getty Images
President Donald Trump said Saturday it had canceled plans to send U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan.
Trump said he had canceled the U.S. delegation’s trip to Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians.
“Too much time wasted on travel, too much work! In addition, there is enormous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership,'” the president wrote in a statement. post to Truth Social. “No one knows who is in charge, including them. Besides, we have all the cards, they don’t! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!
Witkoff and Kushnerthe president’s son-in-law, was scheduled to travel to Pakistan earlier today to engage in “direct talks” with their Iranian counterparts, according to the White House.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met the Pakistani army chief Asim Munirthe Iranian embassy in Pakistan said in a message on Saturday on X. A senior Iranian official said his government representatives had no plans to meet with American negotiators.
“No meeting is planned between Iran and the United States. Iran’s observations will be conveyed to Pakistan,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said in a statement. job on X Friday evening.
Reuters, citing two Pakistani government sources, said the Iranian delegation left the country by plane on Saturday.
Araghchiin a post onpraised Pakistani leaders but appeared to reject negotiations with the Americans.
“Very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose good offices and fraternal efforts we greatly appreciate to bring peace to our region,” he wrote. “We share Iran’s position regarding a viable framework to permanently end the war against Iran. It remains to be seen whether the United States is truly serious about diplomacy.”
Trump told Reuters in a phone call on Friday that Iran would “make an offer,” adding that he did not yet know what it would be and that “we will have to see.”
Araghchi, earlier on Friday, said he was “embarking on a timely tour” to Islamabad, Muscat and Moscow to “coordinate closely with our partners on bilateral issues and consult on regional developments.” He made no remarks indicating a meeting with U.S. officials was planned.
The first round of peace talks, held two weeks ago in Islamabad and led on the American side by the vice president J.D. Vance ended with disagree. Vance was not planned to accompany Witkoff and Kushner on Saturday’s trip to Pakistan.
An American delegation, including Vance, was scheduled to travel to Pakistan earlier this week to continue negotiations, but the trip was postponed. delayed after Iranian officials reportedly said they would not attend.
Much of the mutual disagreement centers on the Strait of Hormuz, the main oil shipping route that has seen traffic is very slow amid Iranian threats and, since last week, a retaliatory US naval blockade.
Trump told Reuters the United States would not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until a deal with Iran was reached.
Renunciation of oilThe United States also maintains other forms of economic pressure on Tehran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told The Associated Press on Friday that the United States is not considering renewing a one-time waiver allowing the purchase of Iranian oil offshore.
“Not the Iranians,” Bessent said. “We are under blockade and no oil is coming out.”
“And we think in the next two or three days, they’re going to have to start shutting down production, which will be very bad for their wells.”
Bessent also said the United States was not considering renewing a waiver allowing the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products currently at sea, according to the AP.
At the same time, the United States said it had sanctioned the Hengli (Dalian) Petrochemical Refinery, an independent oil refinery in China, for purchasing Iranian petroleum products.
“Independent teapot refineries based in China continue to play a vital role in sustaining Iran’s oil economy, and Hengli is one of Iran’s largest customers of crude oil and other petroleum products, having purchased billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil,” the Treasury Department said in a statement. statement.
Tensions have further strained an already fragile ceasefire, announced April 7 amid threats from Trump that “the entire civilization of Iran would die” unless a deal was reached.
Despite ongoing cross-Strait tensions, Trump unilaterally on Tuesday extended ceasefire shortly before its expiration.
After the war began on February 28, the Trump administration repeatedly stated that it expected the operation to be brief and concluded within four to six weeks.
Since that deadline passed, the administration has recalibrated its timetable, while emphasizing that previous U.S. conflicts lasted much longer.
“Unlike the endless wars of the past that lasted years and decades without much result, Operation Epic Fury produced a decisive military outcome in just a few weeks,” the defense secretary said. Pete Hegseth said during a press briefing Friday morning.
—Terri Cullen of CNBC, Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
