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The Guardian World1 min read
Trump cancels his envoys’ Pakistan trip for Iran ceasefire negotiations
TL;DR
Donald Trump has canceled the planned trip of US envoys to Pakistan for ceasefire negotiations with Iran. The decision follows the departure of Iran's foreign minister from Islamabad after discussions with Pakistani officials.
Key points
- Trump canceled US envoys' trip to Pakistan for negotiations
- Iran's foreign minister left Pakistan after talks
- Discussions involved Iran's negotiation red lines
- Ceasefire has paused fighting but disrupted global shipments
- Iran open to mediation efforts until a result is achieved
Mentioned in this story
Donald TrumpJared KushnerAbbas AraghchiPakistanIran
Donald Trump said he has told US envoys not to go to Pakistan for more talks with Iran, shortly after Tehran’s top diplomat left Islamabad late on Saturday.
Trump added to Fox News: “They can call us anytime they want.” The White House on Friday said Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Pakistan’s capital to attempt to revive ceasefire negotiations.
Iran ’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, left Pakistan on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told the Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Araghchi had met with the Pakistani army chief field marshal, Asim Munir, and the Pakistani prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, about what he called Iran’s red lines for negotiations, and said Tehran would engage with Pakistan’s mediation efforts “until a result is achieved”. Iran had said talks would be indirect.
An open-ended ceasefire has paused most fighting, but the economic fallout grows with global shipments of oil, liquefied natural gas, fertilizer and other supplies disrupted by the near-closure of the strait of Hormuz.
Iranian officials have openly asked how they can trust the US after talks last year and early this year over Tehran’s nuclear program ended with it being attacked by the US and Israel.
Islamabad had been in near-lockdown ahead of the expected talks. Pakistan has been trying to get US and Iran back to the negotiating table since Trump this week announced an indefinite extension of the ceasefire, honoring Islamabad’s request for more diplomatic outreach.
The White House on Friday said the US president was sending Witkoff and Kushner to meet with Araghchi. But Iran’s foreign ministry said any talks would be indirect and Pakistani officials would convey messages.
The first round of talks in Pakistan, led on the US side by JD Vance, lasted more than 20 hours and were face-to-face, the highest-level direct talks between the longtime adversaries since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Araghchi and Trump’s envoys held hours of indirect talks in Geneva on 27 February but walked away without a deal. The next day, Israel and the United States started the war.
Q&A
Why did Trump cancel the US envoys' trip to Pakistan?
Trump canceled the trip to allow for more flexibility in negotiations, stating that Iran can reach out to the US anytime.
What was the purpose of the US envoys' trip to Pakistan?
The trip aimed to revive ceasefire negotiations between Iran and other parties involved in the conflict.
Who did Iran's foreign minister meet with in Pakistan?
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, met with Pakistan's army chief and the prime minister to discuss Iran's negotiation terms.
What impact does the ceasefire have on global shipments?
The ceasefire has paused most fighting, but economic disruptions continue, particularly affecting global shipments of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz.
