Talks stall once more as Iran war enters 58th day
All eyes were on Pakistan's capital of Islamabad on Saturday amid anticipation of a resumption of negotiations between the US and Iran. But Iran's top diplomat departed from the city after meeting senior Pakistani officials, and US President Donald Trump pulled the plug on a scheduled visit by his envoys.
The events marked another impasse in peace talks as a second attempt to get Washington and Tehran to the table for dialogue aimed at ending the war.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, army chief Asim Munir and other key officials on what he called red lines for negotiations.
He described his trip to Islamabad as "very fruitful."
"Shared Iran's position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the US.is truly serious about diplomacy," Araghchi wrote on X.
Trump scrapped the visit of his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Pakistan, saying there was no point "sitting around talking about nothing" but adding the war would not immediately resume.
Trump said the ball was in Tehran's court.
"If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
With US and Iran holding firm on their terms and not meeting face-to-face for negotiations, uncertainly clouds the Iran war, which has triggered a global energy crisis amid a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
A fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US, which was extended by Trump this week, is currently in place.
Trump told Axios that the cancellation of Kushner and Witkoff's trip would not necessarily mean a return to hostilities.
"No, it doesn't mean that. We haven't thought about it yet," the US news outlet quoted the president as saying.
The first round of talks in Islamabad earlier this month was led on the US side by Vice President JD Vance. They ended after 21 hours with no progress towards a deal.
Trump has since said that a ceasefire would be extended indefinitely, while continuing to issue threats towards Iran.
