Trump Cancels U.S. Envoys’ Pakistan Trip Amid Iran Peace Talks..
Special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were expected to travel to Islamabad this weekend. But senior Iranian officials left Pakistan’s capital today after downplaying the prospect of direct talks with the U.S.Donald Trump said he had instructed U.S. envoys not to travel to Pakistan for further talks with Iran, a statement that came shortly after Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, departed Islamabad on Saturday night.
In an interview with Novanation News, Trump added, “They can call us anytime they want.” Earlier on Friday, the White House had announced that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Pakistan’s capital in an effort to revive ceasefire negotiations.
Meanwhile, two Pakistani officials told the Associated Press that Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, left Pakistan on Saturday evening. They spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss what he described as Iran’s “red lines” for negotiations. He stated that Tehran would continue engaging with Pakistan’s mediation efforts “until a result is achieved,” while emphasizing that any talks with the United States would be conducted indirectly.
Although an open-ended ceasefire has largely halted the fighting, its economic consequences continue to grow. Global shipments of oil, liquefied natural gas, fertilizers, and other goods have been disrupted due to the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials have openly questioned how they can trust the United States, pointing to past negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program that ultimately ended with military attacks by the US and Israel.
Islamabad had been under near-lockdown ahead of the anticipated talks. Pakistan has been actively trying to bring the US and Iran back to the negotiating table, especially after former President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the ceasefire earlier this week, responding to Pakistan’s request for continued diplomatic engagement.
The White House had stated on Friday that Trump was sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to meet Araghchi. However, Iran’s foreign ministry reiterated that any discussions would remain indirect, with Pakistani officials acting as intermediaries.
An earlier round of talks in Pakistan, led by US Vice President JD Vance, lasted over 20 hours and involved direct, face-to-face discussions—the highest-level engagement between the two long-time adversaries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Later, on February 27, Araghchi and Trump’s envoys held several hours of indirect talks in Geneva but failed to reach an agreement. The following day, Israel and the United States launched military action.
Meanwhile, global oil markets have been heavily affected. The price of Brent crude oil remains nearly 50% higher than at the start of the conflict, largely due to Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz—a vital waterway through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes during peacetime.
Tensions at sea have also escalated. Iran reportedly attacked three ships this week, while the United States continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports. Trump has ordered military forces to “shoot and kill” small boats suspected of deploying mines. In response, Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that his country would send minesweeper vessels to the Mediterranean to help clear Iranian mines from the Strait once hostilities end.
The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has had a ripple effect on global maritime trade, impacting routes as far away as the Panama Canal.
In a sign of partial normalization, Iran resumed commercial flights from Tehran’s international airport on Saturday for the first time since the war began two months ago. Flights were scheduled to destinations including Istanbul, Muscat, and Medina, according to state media. Iran had already partially reopened its airspace earlier in the month following the ceasefire.
The human cost of the conflict has been severe. Authorities report that at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran and more than 2,490 in Lebanon, where renewed fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah erupted shortly after the war began. Additionally, 23 people have been killed in Israel and over a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Among the casualties are 15 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, 13 US service members in the region, and six UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
On Thursday, Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks. However, Hezbollah has not taken part in the US-led diplomatic efforts.
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