WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump canceled a planned trip by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner to Pakistan on Saturday, citing stalled negotiations with Iran and internal issues in Tehran’s leadership, the White House and Trump said.
The decision came hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Islamabad following meetings with Pakistani officials. The envoys had been expected to travel to the Pakistani capital for indirect talks aimed at advancing a ceasefire in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict.
Trump announced the cancellation in a post on Truth Social. “I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going [to] Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians,” he wrote. “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!!!”
The White House had confirmed the trip on Friday as part of efforts to resume negotiations following an earlier round of talks in Islamabad that ended without agreement. Pakistani officials had been mediating between the two sides in the conflict, which has involved a temporary ceasefire now under strain.
Details of the specific sticking points in the stalled talks remained unclear. Trump has previously emphasized that any deal must prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, while Iranian officials have rejected certain U.S. demands. No immediate comment was available from Iranian authorities on the cancellation.
The abrupt shift came amid broader diplomatic maneuvering. Earlier reports indicated Iran had presented proposals that Trump described as offering “a lot but not enough.” He suggested talks could continue by phone if Tehran wished to engage further.
Pakistani officials expressed disappointment over the developments but did not provide further details on their mediation role. The U.S. delegation, which included Witkoff as special envoy and Kushner as a key adviser, was preparing to depart when the decision was made.
As of Sunday, April 26, 2026, no new date had been set for direct or indirect negotiations. The State Department and White House said diplomatic channels remained open, though the status of the ceasefire and any potential next steps in the talks were under review. Officials declined to comment on whether additional measures, such as continued restrictions on Iranian shipping, would be adjusted.
The cancellation underscored the challenges in bridging differences between Washington and Tehran, with both sides continuing to assert their positions through public statements. Further updates were expected as the situation develops.
