Live updates: Trump says US team won’t visit Pakistan as uncertainty surrounds Iran peace talks

President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to scrap his envoys’ planned trip to Pakistan — only a day after announcing it — was a clear indication the American criteria for another round of talks haven’t yet been met.

US officials had been looking for two things from Iran in the 14 days since the last set of marathon negotiations ended without a deal: A negotiating proposal that addressed Trump’s red lines on its nuclear program, and a clearer sense from Tehran of who is in charge.

A day ago, it appeared as if there had been movement.

“We’ve certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side in the last couple of days,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the White House yesterday.

But whatever progress had been conveyed by the Iranians appeared insufficient. Trump decided to cancel the trip about an hour after Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, departed Islamabad, where he was updating Pakistani officials on Iran’s latest proposal.

Trump suggested a primary reason for scrapping the trip was a cost-benefit analysis pitting the length of flight (at least 17 hours) against the minimal chance of a breakthrough.

American officials say they remain concerned that divisions between moderates and hardliners within the Iranian regime are hampering Tehran’s ability to coalesce around a negotiating position.

“There is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Nobody knows who is in charge, including them.”

That leaves the US and Iran still without a deal, or even any indication of moving toward one.

Trump insists this is Iran’s problem, not his.

“We have all the cards, they have none!” he wrote.

Still, for all Trump’s stated indifference on reaching a deal soon, it remains unclear how the war will end — and how the Strait of Hormuz will reopen — without one.