Trump cancels Pakistan envoy talks as Iran peace hopes fade
Trump’s decision to cancel a Pakistan trip by US envoys deals a fresh blow to Iran peace efforts as Tehran demands an end to US blockades.
Hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough in the US-Israeli war with Iran have faded after President Donald Trump cancelled a planned visit by two US envoys to Pakistan, dealing another blow to efforts to end the two-month conflict.
The planned trip by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad was called off on Saturday (April 25), after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi left the Pakistani capital without any sign of a breakthrough following talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials.
Trump told reporters in Florida that he cancelled the visit because the talks involved too much travel and expense, while Iran’s latest proposal was still not acceptable. He said Tehran had improved its offer after the trip was scrapped, but “not enough”.
The US president also claimed on Truth Social that Iran’s leadership was divided, saying Washington held the stronger position and that Tehran could call if it wanted talks.
Araqchi described his visit to Pakistan as “very fruitful”, but Iran’s position remained firm. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Sharif by phone that Tehran would not accept “imposed negotiations” under threats or blockade, according to a statement from the Iranian government.
Pezeshkian said the United States should first remove “operational obstacles”, including its blockade on Iranian ports, before any groundwork could be laid for resolving the conflict.
An Iranian diplomatic source in Islamabad also said Tehran would not accept US “maximalist demands”.
Hormuz blockade deepens global energy pressure
The diplomatic deadlock leaves the world’s largest economy and a major oil power locked in a confrontation that has already pushed energy prices to multi-year highs, fuelled inflation concerns and weighed on global growth prospects.
Tehran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, while Washington has blocked Iran’s oil exports.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had earlier said the US had seen some progress from the Iranian side and that Vice President JD Vance was ready to travel to Pakistan. Vance led an unsuccessful first round of talks in Islamabad earlier this month.
The conflict began with US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28. Iran has since launched strikes against Israel, US bases and Gulf states, though a ceasefire remains formally in force.
Regional tensions also showed signs of widening after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered troops to attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon “forcefully”, further testing a three-week ceasefire there.
