Sunday April 26, 2026
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Trump has cancelled the planned visit of his envoys to Pakistan, effectively halting their movement for the anticipated face-to-face engagement with Iranian officials.

The White House had earlier announced that the US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected in Islamabad for an “in-person conversation” with Iranian officials.

But Trump said he called off the trip, stating, “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.”

Despite the cancellation, he clarified that it does not signal a return to hostilities, saying: “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”

Before Trump cancelled the engagement, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier arrived in Islamabad under heavy escort, with Pakistani fighter jets accompanying his civilian aircraft to an air base outside the capital.

He touched down shortly after midnight and was received by Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, alongside the country’s foreign and interior ministers.

In an unusual departure from standard diplomatic protocol, the parties immediately entered into overnight discussions that lasted nearly five hours, ending at sunrise.

Trump had earlier said he was in “no rush” for a deal, but the late-night engagement suggested momentum may be building behind the scenes.

Araghchi had earlier met Pakistani political leadership as part of a broader diplomatic tour, although Iranian officials insisted the visit was not tied to nuclear negotiations.

The Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, Ebrahim Azizi, stated that the minister had “no assignment related to nuclear talks” and was in Pakistan “only for discussions on bilateral relations,” adding that nuclear issues “remain one of Iran’s firm red lines.”

A statement from Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held a meeting “to review the latest developments in the region,” reiterating that Pakistan was facilitating Iran-US talks for “peace and stability in the region and beyond.”

Meanwhile, Trump and the US Congress are headed toward a constitutional showdown as a statutory deadline under the War Powers Resolution threatens to determine the future of Washington’s military campaign against Iran.

*ARISE News