Donald Trump cancels US trip to Pakistan at 11th hour as Iran peace talks plunge into chaos

Jack Walters
Sat, 25 Apr 2026 16:20:14 +0000

Donald Trump has confirmed a US delegation will no longer travel to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran.

Mr Trump was expected to send US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for talks with their Tehran counterparts.

However, the US President is now insisting America still holds the cards in the Middle East conflict.

The announcement, which comes after Tehran issued a new set of demands, ultimately cancelled peace talks between the two nations.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has already left Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.

Confirming the last-minute decision to cancel the trip, Mr Trump told Fox News: "I've told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, 'Nope, you're not making an 18-hour flight to go there.

"We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you're not going to be making any more 18-hour flights to sit around talking about nothing’."

Negotiations had been planned for the weekend as both sides look to secure a permanent peace deal.

Pressure is mounting from other world leaders amid economic concerns about Mr Trump's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's delegation left Pakistan earlier today warning that no further rounds of talks have been planned.

In a Truth Social post, Mr Trump again explained why he had cancelled the trip at the last moment.

He said: "I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going is Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians.

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"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!!!"

Washington is said to remain at loggerheads with Tehran over nuclear enrichment, security guarantees or the Strait of Hormuz.

The regime's military said: “If the aggressive US military continues its blockade, banditry, and piracy in the region, it should be certain that it will face a response from Iran’s powerful armed forces.”

Meanwhile, Mr Araghchi said that at the talks he “explained our country’s principled positions regarding the latest developments related to the ceasefire and the complete end of the imposed war against Iran”.

Following Mr Trump's announcement, Iran's Foreign Minister arrived in Muscat, Oman.

Mr Araghchi said: "Very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose good offices and brotherly efforts to bring back peace to our region we very much value.

"Shared Iran's position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the US is truly serious about diplomacy."

However, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth insists Iran has a chance to make a "good deal".

He added: “Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely.

“All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways.”