Trump cancels envoys trip to Islamabad after Iran FM leaves Pakistan without meeting US officials

Ahram Online , Saturday 25 Apr 2026

US President Donald Trump told Fox News on Saturday that he had ordered his envoys not to travel to Pakistan to continue talks with Iranian officials on ending the war.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) speaking with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (C) during their meeting amid the Middle East war, at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad. AFP

"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,'" Fox News reported the president as saying in a phone call.

However, Trump said the move did not mean a restart of the war.

Two Pakistani officials said on Saturday that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has left Pakistan without meeting US officials.

Araghchi had met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and other senior officials about matters including Iran’s red lines in negotiations.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi delivered Tehran’s negotiating demands, as well as its reservations about US demands, to Pakistani officials during his visit to Islamabad, a Pakistani source involved in the talks has told Reuters.

Very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose good offices and brotherly efforts to bring back peace to our region we very much value.

Shared Iran's position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 25, 2026

For his part, PM Sharif issued a brief statement on social media following his meeting with the Iranian foreign minister.

“Had a most warm, cordial exchange of views on the current regional situation. We also discussed matters of mutual interest, including the further strengthening of Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations,” Sharif said.

On Saturday, Iran’s military threatened to retaliate against the continued US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

In a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, Tehran’s Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command said: “If the aggressive American army continues its siege, banditry, and piracy in the region, they can be sure that they will face a response from the powerful Iranian armed forces.”

Trump imposed the blockade almost two weeks ago, a day after a ceasefire brokered in Islamabad was reached between the US and Iran.