President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he has canceled a planned trip by U.S. representatives, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, to Pakistan for talks with Iranian officials, citing time wasted on traveling and work and describing what he called “infighting” and “confusion” within Iran’s so-called “leadership.”
In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump stated: “I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going is Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians. 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!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Global Affairs Correspondent for Axios Barak Ravid posted on X that when asked whether the cancellation signals a resumption of the war, Trump said, “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet”:
The cancellation comes after the White House had announced that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner were scheduled to travel to Islamabad for another round of negotiations with Iran. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the trip was intended to advance discussions after Iran had expressed interest in face-to-face dialogue. Vice President JD Vance had also been placed on standby to join if needed.
Pakistani officials noted the importance of dialogue and diplomacy during meetings in Islamabad, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir as part of mediation efforts.
Araghchi departed Islamabad on Saturday before the anticipated arrival of U.S. envoys. Iranian state media indicated that he did not plan to meet directly with American officials and instead viewed Pakistan as a conduit for conveying proposals. Pakistani officials described his visit as part of broader efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
Public messaging from Iranian officials has emphasized unity. President Masoud Pezeshkian, Araghchi, and other figures have released statements asserting that the government remains cohesive and aligned in its approach. However, reports have indicated possible divisions between factions described as “moderates” and “hardliners,” particularly regarding negotiation strategy with the United States.
Earlier in the week, Trump cited internal disagreements within Iran as a key obstacle to negotiations and extended a ceasefire, originally set for two weeks, without a fixed end date. He indicated that the extension was partly in response to requests from Pakistani leadership and the need for Iran to present a unified negotiating position.
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