US President Donald Trump has told US media that he ordered his envoys not to travel to Pakistan to continue talks with Iranian officials on ending the war.
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Speaking to Fox News, Trump said “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,” he added.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were meant to head to Pakistan on Saturday. Vice President JD Vance was not set to attend but, would have instead been on standby in case his presence is “necessary”, the White House said.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan on Friday evening for the planned talks, but left the country on Saturday afternoon, prior to Trump’s announcement.
During his visit to the Pakistani capital Islamabad, Araghchi met with Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Friday night.
On Saturday morning, he met with Munir and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, officials said.
A first round of negotiations between Iran and the US took place in Pakistan earlier this month but both sides failed to reach a deal.
Pakistan has emerged as the leading mediator in efforts to end the war, with an initial round of negotiations held in its capital earlier this month.
However, both sides failed to reach a deal.
Islamabad appeared to be under near-lockdown on Saturday morning, with soldiers and police stationed at key intersections, posted on rooftops overlooking major roads, and helicopters circling overhead. Checkpoints, road closures and diversions across the city, particularly near the so-called “red zone” surrounding the negotiation venue.
Commercial flights resume at Tehran’s airport
Meanwhile, Iran has resumed commercial flights at Tehran’s international airport on Saturday, the first time its done so since the conflict with the US and Israel broke out late February.
Flights bound for Istanbul, Oman’s capital of Muscat and the Saudi city of Medina departed from the Imam Khomeini International Airport, Iran’s state-run media reported.
Three Istanbul-bound flights were seen departing on Saturday morning on the Flightradar24 tracking platform.
Iran’s airspace has largely remained closed since 28 February, but partially reopened earlier this month when the first ceasefire was announced.
Additional sources • AP
