U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were scheduled to travel to Islamabad on Saturday for a new round of ceasefire negotiations with Iran, mediated by Pakistan. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Pakistani capital on Friday to discuss proposals for restarting peace talks, while U.S. logistics and security teams were already in place for the potential meetings.
The diplomatic effort occurred amid an eight-week war that has left thousands dead and disrupted global energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. While the White House aimed to move toward a deal, Iran ruled out direct negotiations, maintaining that conditions for diplomacy were not ripe until the blockade of Iranian ports was lifted. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth stated that the U.S. blockade would continue as long as necessary.
President Donald Trump eventually canceled the trip for his envoys, citing tremendous confusion within the Iranian leadership and the high cost and travel involved. Trump stated he did not want officials to sit around talking about nothing, though he clarified that the cancellation did not mean the United States would resume fighting. He suggested that any future talks could occur by phone, adding that Iran could call the U.S. anytime.
The cancellation came as Islamabad experienced near-lockdown conditions, including road closures and security restrictions that disrupted daily life. Following the collapsed prospects for direct talks, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi concluded his visit to Islamabad and departed for Oman, with plans to later travel to Russia.