US President Donald Trump has canceled the American delegation’s trip to Pakistan, putting a nail in the second round of peace talks with Iran. The 79-year-old Republican told Fox News that the 18-hour journey is not worthwhile since the US holds all the cards in the war against the West Asian nation.
“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 said.
Key Details
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| US Negotiators | Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner |
| Destination | Islamabad, Pakistan |
| Purpose | Second round of Iran peace talks |
| Trump’s Decision | Canceled the trip |
| Reason | “We have all the cards” |
US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were supposed to head to Islamabad for the second round of discussions.
Context: Iranian Diplomatic Activity
Trump’s remarks came hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Pakistan’s top leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and left the country.
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Iranian Diplomat | Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi |
| Met With | PM Shehbaz Sharif and other top Pakistani leadership |
| Outcome | Left Pakistan before Trump’s announcement |
The Stalled Peace Process
The cancellation marks a significant setback for the peace process, which had seen Pakistan acting as a mediator between Washington and Tehran. The first round of talks in Islamabad had failed to produce a breakthrough, and expectations for a second round were already uncertain.
Trump’s declaration that the US “holds all the cards” signals a hardening of the American position, putting the onus on Iran to make the next move.
