U.S. envoys not to travel to Pakistan, says Trump

U.S. envoys not to travel to Pakistan, says Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had ordered his envoys not to travel to Pakistan to continue talks with Iranian officials on ending the war.

“I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going to Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians. Too much time wasted on travelling, too much work! Besides, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their “leadership.” Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!”, Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The decision came as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrapped up a visit to Islamabad.

‘Principled positions’

Mr. Araghchi met Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Army Chief and a key figure in the mediation effort, as well as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

Mr. Araghchi, according to an Iranian statement, thanked Pakistan for its efforts but “explained our country’s principled positions regarding the latest developments related to the ceasefire and the complete end of the imposed war against Iran”.

Mr. Dar posted on social media that the meeting with the Iranian delegation lasted around two hours and Pakistan emphasised “the importance of dialogue and diplomacy”.

Iranian state media later reported that Mr. Araghchi had left Islamabad. It said Islamabad would serve as a bridge to “convey” Iranian proposals.

An Iranian spokesman said Mr. Araghchi would travel to Oman and Russia to discuss efforts to end the war, which was launched against Iran by Israel and the U.S. on February 28. Iran’s military, meanwhile, remained defiant.

In a statement carried by state media, the military’s central command said that if “the invading U.S. military continues blockading, banditry, and piracy in the region, they should be certain that they will face a response from Iran’s powerful armed forces”.

Since the last round of talks, efforts to bring the two sides back to the table have hit an impasse, with Iran refusing to participate as long as a U.S. naval blockade remains in place. Iran has imposed a de facto blockade of its own on the Strait of Hormuz, allowing only a trickle of ships to pass through the waterway, throwing global energy markets into turmoil.