U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would not be traveling to Pakistan for talks with the Iranian regime, President Donald Trump announced Saturday.
The second round of talks, set to take place in Islamabad, was called off as Tehran refuses to accept U.S. terms amid reports of infighting within the regime. The decision was made “due to the Iranian position in peace negotiations,” Axios reported, citing President Trump.
With most of the pre-war top leadership eliminated in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, the remnants of the regime are incapable of reaching an agreement, the president suggested.
“Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work! Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership,'” he wrote on Truth Social. “Nobody knows who is in charge, including them. Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!”
The announcement comes amid reports that Iranian Foreign Minister and lead negotiator Abbas Araghchi flew back to Iran after a brief visit to Pakistan.
The second round of talks was doomed from the start. Days ahead of the proposed talks in Islamabad, Iran’s parliament speaker and de facto regime leader, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stepped down from the negotiating team.
“Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has left Islamabad after meeting Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif,” NBC News reported, citing the Iranian regime media. “This seemingly cements that Araghchi will not be meeting with the American delegation for peace talks in the city.”
Before flying to Pakistan, the Iranian foreign minister refused to hold ‘direct talks’ with the U.S. delegation. According to Reuters, “Tehran has ruled out a new round of direct talks with the United States and an Iranian diplomatic source said Tehran would not accept Washington’s ‘maximalist demands.'”
The first round of talks, which took place almost two weeks ago in Islamabad, ended without a deal after Iran rejected a U.S. proposal that demanded an end to its nuclear program.
Despite a ceasefire, the regime forces have since been firing at oil tankers and ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s proxy terrorist group, Hezbollah, has also been stepping up attacks on Israeli troops despite a separate U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly ordered a ‘powerful’ retaliatory strike against Hezbollah on Saturday afternoon.
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