Trump cancels envoys' Pakistan trip, in blow to hopes for Iran war breakthrough
Trump said in a social media post that he had called off the planned visit by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, citing what he said was tremendous confusion within the Iranian leadership.
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ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump cancelled a trip by two US envoys to Pakistan, a mediator in the Iran conflict, on Saturday (Apr 25), dealing a new setback to peace prospects after Iran's foreign minister flew out of Islamabad following talks in the capital.
Trump said in a social media post that he had called off the planned visit by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, citing what he said was tremendous confusion within the Iranian leadership.
"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!!!" he wrote.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi earlier left the Pakistani capital without any sign of a breakthrough in talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials.
Araqchi later described his visit to Pakistan as "very fruitful," adding in a social media post that he had "shared Iran's position concerning (a) workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the US is truly serious about diplomacy".
Iranian media reported that Araqchi had flown to Oman's capital Muscat, saying he will meet with senior officials to "discuss and exchange views on bilateral relations and regional developments".
Tehran has ruled out a new round of direct talks with the United States and an Iranian diplomatic source said Tehran would not accept Washington's "maximalist demands".
IRAN AND US AT AN IMPASSE
Washington and Tehran are at an impasse as Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, while the US blocks Iran's oil exports.
The conflict, in which a ceasefire is in force, began with US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28. Iran has since carried out strikes against Israel and the US bases in Gulf state. The war has pushed up energy prices to multi-year highs, stoking inflation and darkening global growth prospects.
Araqchi "explained our country's principled positions regarding the latest developments related to the ceasefire and the complete end of the imposed war against Iran", said a statement on the minister's official Telegram account.
Asked about Tehran's reservations over US positions in the talks, an Iranian diplomatic source in Islamabad told Reuters: "Principally, Iranian side will not accept maximalist demands."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said the US had seen some progress from the Iranian side in recent days and hoped more would come over the weekend, while Vice President JD Vance was ready to travel to Pakistan as well.
Vance led an unsuccessful first round of talks with Iran in Islamabad earlier this month.
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