US-Iran peace process hits snag as Trump cancels trip of envoys, FM Araghchi leaves Pakistan
A combination of photos shows US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff alongside Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Photo: AFP
United States President Donald Trump cancelled a planned trip to Pakistan by envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for peace talks with Iran, Fox News reported on Saturday, creating another snag in the peace process between the two enemies.
The network said Trump told Fox about the trip's cancellation.
"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. 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,'" Trump was quoted as saying by the outlet's White House correspondent.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump just told me over the phone he has unilaterally cancelled Witkoff and Kushner’s trip to Pakistan to meet with the Iranians.
"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…Questioned by Axios whether it meant he was going to resume fighting, Trump said: "No. It doesn't mean that. We haven't thought about it yet."
Later, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, the US president said the decision was taken due to what he termed unnecessary travel and workload considerations.
“I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going to Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians. Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work!” he wrote.
He further claimed there was uncertainty within Iran’s leadership structure. “Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership’. Nobody knows who is in charge, including them,” the post added.
Trump also asserted that the United States held a stronger position in any potential engagement. “We have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call,” he said.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also left Pakistan after discussing the overall situation in the region with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir.
FM Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday night.
A statement from the PM Office said he held a meeting with PM Shehbaz in which regional developments and bilateral ties came under discussion.
Deputy PM and FM Ishaq Dar, CDF Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi were also present.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Regional developments and bilateral ties came under discussion.@CMShehbaz@araghchi@IRIMFA_EN@ForeignOfficePk #IslamabadTalks #PMShehbazSharif #PakistanDiplomacy #AbbasAraghchi… pic.twitter.com/qQCxe0NUWT
PM Shehbaz said he had a "most warm, cordial exchange of views on the current regional situation", adding that they discussed matters of mutual interest, including the further strengthening of bilateral relations.
Was pleased to meet H.E. Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of Iran, and his delegation in Islamabad today. Had a most warm, cordial exchange of views on the current regional situation. We also discussed matters of mutual interest, including the further strengthening of… pic.twitter.com/ZGLQNuGOK6
FM Dar said the talks lasted around two hours and PM Shehbaz emphasised the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for peace and stability in the region and beyond.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif received Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi at the Prime Minister House today and the meeting lasted around two hours approx.
Along with Prime Minister @CMShehbaz, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar… pic.twitter.com/SpUoHyfoRRAraghchi himself said on X: "Very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose good offices and brotherly efforts to bring back peace to our region we very much value. Shared Iran's position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy."
Very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose good offices and brotherly efforts to bring back peace to our region we very much value.
Shared Iran's position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy.Iran said the talks covered bilateral ties, regional and international developments, and expanding cooperation.
"Araghchi thanked Pakistan’s efforts on ceasefire and hosting talks, reaffirmed Iran’s stance on ending the war, and stressed stronger ties with neighbours. Sharif emphasised continued cooperation in bilateral and multilateral arenas."
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Araghchi thanked Pakistan’s efforts on ceasefire and hosting talks, reaffirmed Iran’s stance on ending the war, and stressed stronger ties with neighbors. Sharif emphasized continued cooperation in bilateral and multilateral arenas.FM Araghchi also held a prior meeting with CDF Munir in which "an exchange of views took place on matters of mutual interest and the overall situation in the region", said state broadcaster PTV News on X.
فیلڈ مارشل سید عاصم منیر اور ایران کے وزیر خارجہ ڈاکٹر سید عباس عراقچی کی اسلام آباد میں دیگر آفیشلز کے ہمراہ ملاقات
ملاقات میں باہمی دلچسپی کے امور اور خطے کی مجموعی صورتحال پر تبادلہ خیال کیا گیا، pic.twitter.com/n8EyAOnthZUS President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are due to depart on Saturday morning for talks with Araghchi, the White House said.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters a day ago that Iran had a chance to make a "good deal" with the US. "Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely," he said. "All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways."
Read: Iran 'surprise' resurrects faltering peace process
Washington is at a costly impasse with Tehran as Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries one-fifth of global oil shipments, while the US blocks Iran's oil exports. The US-Israeli war on Iran, entering its ninth week, has pushed energy prices to multi-year highs, stoking inflation and darkening global growth prospects.
However, Iran said its officials did not plan to meet the Americans to discuss ending the war that has killed thousands of Iranian and Lebanese civilians and roiled global markets. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson posted on X that Iranian officials did not plan to meet with US representatives and that Tehran's concerns would be conveyed to mediator Pakistan.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Iranian statement.
We arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan, for an official visit. FM Araghchi will be meeting with Pakistani high-level officials in concert with their ongoing mediation & good offices for ending American imposed war of aggression and the restitution of peace in our region.
No meeting… pic.twitter.com/1vP51xIoepMeanwhile, FM Dar held a meeting today to review the latest developments in the region. He reiterated that Pakistan was facilitating the Iran-US talks to achieve peace and stability in the region and beyond, adding that Pakistan would continue its efforts in this regard.
He also underlined that Pakistan's official policy statements on the Iran-US facilitation process were only those issued by official sources. "Unnamed Pakistani officials or sources, whether quoted in print or social media, do not reflect Pakistan's official position. He advised print and electronic media to refrain from speculative reporting and focus on official statements only," the Foreign Office said.
DPM/FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 held a meeting today to review the latest developments in the region. He reiterated that Pakistan is facilitating Iran-US talks for achieving peace and stability in the region and beyond. Pakistan will continue with its efforts in… pic.twitter.com/W2yiMjdy5X
Trump claims Iran planning to make offer
Trump told Reuters on Friday that Iran planned to make an offer aimed at satisfying US demands but that he did not know what the offer entailed. He declined to say who Washington was negotiating with, "but we're dealing with the people that are in charge now".
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US had seen some progress from the Iranian side in recent days and hoped more would come this weekend, while Vice President JD Vance was ready to travel to Pakistan as well.
Vance, Witkoff, Kushner and Araqchi, as well as the speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, took part in inconclusive talks in Islamabad two weeks ago.
Araghchi, who posted on X that he would also be visiting Pakistan, Oman and Russia, met Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday at the Serena Hotel, where the earlier talks were held, while a US logistics and security team was in place in Islamabad, according to Pakistani sources.
Germany sending minesweeper for potential Hormuz deployment
The German navy is sending a minesweeper to the Mediterranean to prepare for a potential deployment in the Strait of Hormuz, said Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, according to Al Jazeera.
He told the German newspaper, Rheinische Post, that the vessel would be deployed alongside a command and supply ship, but did not say when.
Al Jazeera reported Pistorius said preconditions for any deployment would include a sustained ceasefire between the US and Iran, a legal framework under international law for the operation and a mandate from Germany’s Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, according to the DPA news agency.
Pistorius noted Germany’s naval capabilities, saying it traditionally plays a leading role within NATO in mine clearance.
Ceasefires in place, few ships crossing Hormuz
Trump unilaterally extended a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday to allow more time for the negotiators to reconvene.
Oil prices surged this week, with Brent crude futures soaring 16%, on uncertainty over the fate of the peace talks and as violence flared in the region.
Shipping data on Friday showed that five ships had crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the previous 24 hours, compared to around 130 a day before the war that the US and Israel launched on February 28. The ships included an Iranian oil-products tanker, but none of the vast crude-carrying supertankers that normally feed global energy markets.
On Thursday, Israel and Lebanon extended their ceasefire for three weeks at a White House meeting brokered by Trump, but there was little sign of an end to the fighting in southern Lebanon.
Israel has been attacking Lebanese territory for the past year, and invaded its northern neighbour last month to root out Iran's Hezbollah allies after the militant group fired across the border. Tehran says a ceasefire in Lebanon is a precondition for talks.
Read more: Hezbollah defiant in face of ceasefire extension
Lebanese authorities reported an Israeli strike killed six people, and Hezbollah downed an Israeli drone. Israel's military said it had killed six armed Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon, in addition to the thousand-plus civilians and multiple journalists that Israel has killed or otherwise targeted.
With input from Web Desk.