Trump cancels US delegation trip after Iran officials leave Pakistan
( NewsNation ) — President Donald Trump said he has canceled a planned trip by U.S. representatives to Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with Iranian officials, citing what he described as internal disorder within Iran’s leadership.
In a post on Truth Social , Trump said the U.S. had “all the cards” in the negotiations and insisted Tehran should initiate contact if it wants talks, adding that the travel was unnecessary and time‑consuming.
The U.S. delegation, led by Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, was expected to arrive sometime Saturday morning.
Iranian officials leave Pakistan without meeting US delegation
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan Saturday, without engaging in a second round of peace talks with the U.S., according to two Pakistani officials.
Heading into the weekend, there was anticipation that two countries could meet for what Iranian officials described as “indirect” discussions in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Associated Press reports that Araghchi left without meeting U.S. officials.
In a post on X , Araghchi described his meeting with Pakistani officials as “fruitful.”
He added that Pakistan “shared Iran’s position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy.”
Trump says Iran presented new offers 10 minutes after he canceled US team’s trip
Amid the stalled negotiations with Iran, the president said the Iranians sent over a new peace proposal, but that it “could have been better,” and rejected it.
“They gave us a paper that could have been better, and interestingly, immediately when I canceled it, within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better,” Trump said to reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from Florida.
The President wouldn’t offer specifics about what was in the latest proposal other than saying “they offered a lot.” But he stressed that one of his conditions is that Iran “will not have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump said he cancelled the latest rounds of negotiations with Iran because it was “a lot of traveling” and because his negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, “weren’t meeting with the leader of the country.”
Trump said the U.S. will “deal by telephone and they can call us anytime they want” before adding that “we have all the cards.”
‘Largest missile strike in history’: Iran warns
Iranian state media issued a warning Saturday that it is prepared to launch “largest missile strike in history,” against U.S. and Israeli bases in West Asia.
The warning, posted on X by the Iran Embassy in South Africa said the strike would be “launched immediately upon detecting any signs of an attack.”
Iran’s joint military command warned in a statement Saturday that if the U.S. continues its “naval blockades, banditry, and piracy in the region,” it will provoke a decisive military response from Iran.
The statement, carried by the state-run IRNA news agency, added that if the U.S. and Israel renewed their aggression, they would face more losses.
Pakistan PM meets Iranian foreign minister
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed in a post on X Saturday, that he had met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, calling it “a most warm, cordial exchange of views on the current regional situation.”
War in Iran a ‘gift to the world,’ Hegseth says
“We also discussed matters of mutual interest, including the further strengthening of Pakistan–Iran bilateral relations,” he continued.
Doubts around a U.S. – Iranian meeting
There had been uncertainty around whether any formal meeting between the two sides would occur, as Iranian officials had said no face-to-face talks were scheduled.
“No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the U.S. Iran’s observations would be conveyed to Pakistan,” Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, said in a social media post Friday afternoon.
Despite this, past developments suggest the situation could change quickly. Iranian officials have previously denied that diplomatic talks were underway, only to enter negotiations within days. Mixed messaging from both Tehran and Washington has further complicated things.
Separate meetings with Pakistan on the table
Despite no direct negotiations taking place, both sides were expected to hold separate meetings with Pakistani officials, using them as intermediaries to facilitate communication and potential agreements.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz, where both countries are demonstrating military strength. The U.S. naval blockage has turned away 34 ships and seized three vessels, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
U.S. forces have been working to clear mines from the waterway, with Germany offering assistance in those efforts.
Although Iran’s navy has been significantly weakened, reportedly with more than 80% of its fleet destroyed, it continues to engage in maritime operations. Iranian forces have seized vessels and opened fire on major tankers using smaller IRGC boats. U.S. military officials have described these as “whaler-sized.”
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