DILI, 27 April 2026 (TATOLI) – U.S. President Donald Trump canceled the planned trip by special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan for a second round of talks aimed at ending the U.S.–Iran conflict.
Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to lead a U.S. delegation for talks with Iranian officials on Saturday, but Trump canceled the trip after the United States received what he described as a deal offer from Iran that “should have been better.”
“I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going to Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians,” President Donald Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.
He said traveling to Islamabad would have been a waste of time, adding that if the Iranians want to talk, “all they have to do is call.”
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran won’t enter into forced negotiations with U.S. while facing pressure, threats and blockade.
In a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pezeshkian said current U.S. actions were undermining trust and making it difficult for any peace talks to be realized, according to CNN.
The Iranian president said the blockade must first be lifted to allow ships to travel to and from Iranian ports, paving the way for resolving the conflict.
CNN reported that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Islamabad would continue its “sincere and honest efforts to promote regional peace and security.”
As efforts to resolve the conflict between the United States and Iran remain uncertain, Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks following U.S.-mediated talks, even as ground clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants continue, with both sides accusing each other of violating the truce.
With uncertainty continuing in negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz, crude oil prices have already risen to more than $105 a barrel on Friday.
Since the start of the conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran, Iranian authorities have recorded nearly 3,400 people have been killed in the country. Almost 2,500 people have been killed in Lebanon, 32 in Gulf states and 23 in Israel. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed, while two others died of non-combat causes, according to NBC News.
TATOLI
