Trump cancels envoys’ Pakistan trip for peace talks with Iran

US President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled his envoys’ planned trip to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran on Saturday, but said that did not mean an immediate resumption of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.

Shortly before the announcement, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrapped up his own diplomatic visit to Islamabad after meeting with Pakistani military chief Asim Munir, a key figure in the mediation effort, as well as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

The White House had previously said Trump emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were headed to the Pakistani capital for an “in-person conversation” with the Iranians that would “hopefully move the ball forward towards a deal”.

But Trump told Fox News on Saturday that he had nixed the trip.

“We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you’re not going to be making any more 18-hour flights to sit around talking about nothing,” the president said he had told his team.

Asked by US media outlet Axios whether that meant a resumption of hostilities, Trump said: “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”

Iran’s foreign ministry said Araghchi had left Islamabad and arrived in Muscat on Saturday for meetings with Omani officials. He is also expected to travel on to Russia to discuss efforts to end the war, which the United States and Israel began against Iran on February 28. Punch