Too much time wasted: Trump scraps envoys' Pak trip, says no more 18-hour flights

US President Donald Trump said that they hold all the cards in the war against Iran, hence his delegation is not going to make the 18-hour-long journey to Islamabad for the second round of discussions.

In Short

• Trump said US delegation won't make the long journey since they hold the cards
• Added that Iran can, however, call the US anytime they want
• Iran Foreign Minister met Pak PM hours earlier in Islamabad before leaving

US President Donald Trump has cancelled the American delegation's trip to Pakistan, putting a nail to the second round of peace talks with Iran. The 79-year-old Republican told Fox News that the 18-hour journey is not worthwhile since the US holds all the cards in the war against the West Asian nation.

"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'," he said.

Minutes later, he also posted on Truth Social, mocking the Iranian delegation, saying nobody knows "who is in charge, including them".

"I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going is Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians. Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work! Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their 'leadership'. 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," he wrote on the social media platform.

US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were supposed to head to Islamabad for the second round of discussions.

His remarks came hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi met Pakistan's top leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Field Marshal Asim Munir, and left the country.

Iran, however, laid down that it will not accept "maximalist demands" by America. Tehran has time and again been sceptical about trusting the US, pointing out that after talks last year and early this year over its nuclear programme concluded with it being attacked by America and Israel.

Currently, an indefinite ceasefire is in place between the two sides after Trump announced the same, following Pakistan's request for better diplomatic solutions. However, the economic ramifications of the fuel crisis and price jump, and shipments of oil, natural gas and fertilisers, with the near-blockade of the vital Strait of Hormuz, continue.

Iran has said that talks with the US would be indirect, with Pakistan conveying their messages. The West Asian nation has also said that Islamabad's mediation efforts would be appreciated until a result is obtained.

The first round of peace talks, which happened earlier this month in Pakistan, was led by US Vice President JD Vance. Despite lasting for 20 hours and being direct – the highest such level between the two parties since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran – no deal was made.

The US has maintained a blockade on Iranian ports, with a "shoot and kill" order from Trump on small boats that could be placing mines. Iran, meanwhile, attacked three ships this week, including one bound for India.

- Ends
(With inputs from Reuters and The Associated Press)