Trump cancels US delegation’s Pakistan trip for Iran talks: report

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had ordered his envoys not to travel to Pakistan for planned discussions with Iranian officials, effectively cancelling a proposed diplomatic mission aimed at exploring pathways to end the Middle East conflict.

“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,'” Trump said in a phone interview with Fox News, according to the network.

The decision came as regional diplomatic activity continued in parallel, with Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi concluding a visit to Islamabad on Saturday following meetings with Pakistan’s top civilian and military leadership.

Araghchi met Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, with discussions centred on regional tensions and ongoing efforts to reduce escalation in the Middle East.

Iranian state media said Araghchi thanked Pakistan for its diplomatic engagement but reiterated Tehran’s “principled positions” on recent developments linked to the ceasefire and the broader conflict.

Dar said on social media that his meeting with the Iranian delegation lasted around two hours, during which Pakistan stressed the “importance of dialogue and diplomacy”.

Iranian state media later confirmed that Araghchi had departed Islamabad.

The diplomatic activity followed earlier US signaling that senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to travel to Pakistan for indirect engagement with Iranian counterparts, amid efforts to reopen stalled negotiations.

However, Iranian state media had indicated ahead of Araghchi’s departure that no direct meeting with US officials was planned, with Pakistan instead acting as a channel for conveying messages between the two sides.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the Iranian visit was part of “ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability”, without referencing any direct US-Iran contact.

Iranian officials said separately that Araghchi would continue diplomatic consultations in Oman and Russia, as Tehran seeks broader international support for ending the conflict.

Opening Hormuz remains a flashpoint

Tensions also remain high around maritime security in the Gulf, with Iran’s military warning of retaliation if it faced continued pressure in regional waters.

In a statement carried by state media, Iran’s armed forces said they would respond if “blockade or piracy” against the country continued in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route, has remained a key pressure point, with intermittent disruptions adding volatility to global oil markets.

European Council President Antonio Costa called for the waterway to “immediately reopen without restrictions or tolling”, describing it as “vital for the entire world”.

Oil markets and diplomatic deadlock

Oil prices eased on Friday amid expectations that renewed diplomatic efforts could reduce tensions around shipping routes, though negotiations between Iran and the United States remain stalled.

Since the last round of contacts, efforts to restart talks have made little progress, with both sides maintaining differing preconditions for engagement.