Trump pulls U.S. negotiators from Iran talks, says Tehran can ‘call’ if it wants a deal
President Trump on Saturday canceled a planned trip by two of his top advisers to Pakistan for talks aimed at ending the war with Iran, saying his team was unable to make the long flight.
“I recently told my guys they were getting ready to leave and I told them, ‘No, you’re not taking an 18-hour flight to get there. We have all the cards.'” Trump said in a statement to Fox News. “They can call us whenever they want, but now you won’t be sitting on 18-hour flights and talking about nothing.”
In a post on Truth Social minutes later, Trump said there was “tremendous infighting and confusion” within the Iranian leadership and that “no one knows who is responsible.”
Special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were scheduled to fly to Islamabad on Saturday for a new round of talks. Pakistan acts as a mediator between Washington and Tehran. White House on Friday press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: He said the Iranians had requested negotiations and that Trump was “always willing to give diplomacy a chance.” He said Witkoff and Kushner went to Pakistan “to listen to the Iranians.”
The previous round of negotiations, led by Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, ended without an agreement. Vance will not travel this weekend, Leavitt said Friday.
Vice President J.D. Vance speaks at a news conference as Jared Kushner, left, and special envoy for peace missions Steve Witkoff listen.
(repository via Getty Images)
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday and met with Pakistani leaders, including the country’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, before leaving on Saturday, Pakistani officials and the Iranian embassy in Pakistan said, according to the New York Times. reported.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Friday that no direct US-Iran talks were planned and that Iran would convey its position through Pakistani officials.
Iran’s military warned on Saturday that it would respond if Trump continued the US blockade of Iranian ports after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. The military said in a statement that the US blockade “must be met with the response of Iran’s strong armed forces.” expression It is reported by Iranian state media.
An earlier round of negotiations led by Vice President J.D. Vance ended without any progress. The two-week ceasefire declared on April 8 will end on Wednesday.
