APRIL 25, 2026
Trump cancels U.S. envoys' planned trip to Pakistan after Iran declines direct talks
President Trump canceled a planned trip by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad, Pakistan, where they were expected to engage in a new round of talks with Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had traveled to Islamabad and met with senior Pakistani officials, but left Saturday without meeting any U.S. representatives. Iran's government had stated in advance that no direct negotiations with American officials were planned during the visit.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he was calling off the planned Islamabad trip by his envoys, citing Iran's posture as his reason. "I've told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, 'Nope, you're not making an 18-hour flight to go there,'" Trump said, according to Fox News, as reported by the Washington Examiner. "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."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said Friday on Fox News that Trump was dispatching Witkoff and Kushner to Islamabad "to go hear" what the Iranians had to say, describing the trip as potentially productive and noting that Iran had requested the talks. Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation in an earlier round, was not planning to travel but would remain on standby, Leavitt said.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X that Iran's positions "would be conveyed to Pakistan," indicating the visit was structured through Pakistani intermediaries rather than as a direct U.S.-Iran meeting. Araghchi met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and other senior officials before departing Islamabad Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told the Associated Press. Araghchi said on Telegram that he had discussed Iran's views on ending the war with Munir and that Tehran would continue engaging in Pakistan-led mediation efforts "until a result is achieved."