Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were reportedly set to fly to the country, while Tehran denied plans for any negotiations
US President Donald Trump has abruptly canceled a trip by special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to Pakistan. Tehran, however, denied that any talks were scheduled in the first place.
This decision comes just a day after the trip was promoted as a potential opportunity to revitalize negotiations with Iran.
“Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work! Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘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 wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.
When asked by Axios if this means he plans to resume the war, Trump responded, “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi is still expected to go to Pakistan after completing his trip to Oman and before traveling to Russia, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.
Talking to reporters later on Saturday, Trump asserted that Iran “offered a lot but not enough.” He also claimed to have received a more favorable proposal from Tehran just minutes after the cancellation, stating it came “immediately, when I canceled it, within 10 minutes.”
The sudden reversal highlights the confusion surrounding the administration’s recent diplomatic efforts and Trump’s frustration with negotiations not producing quick results.
Washington indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran earlier this week, expecting a “unified” proposal from Tehran while keeping a US blockade of Iranian ports in place. The standoff around the Strait of Hormuz has rattled global markets, pushing Brent crude above $100 per barrel, while Trump has made clear that there is no firm timeline for ending the war.
The US president further raised the stakes by saying he had ordered the US Navy to “shoot and kill” any Iranian boats found laying mines in the waterway. Tehran considers the blockade a direct breach of the ceasefire and has argued that any talks are pointless as long as it remains in place.
