US heads to Pakistan for talks — Iran backs out at the last minute
Photo: Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff together with Jared Kushner (Getty Images)
The American delegation is set to travel to Pakistan for talks, but the Iranian side has effectively refused the meeting, according to Reuters.
According to the White House, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, along with Jared Kushner, is scheduled to travel to Pakistan on Saturday, April 25, for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
At the same time, the Iranian side stated that its representatives do not plan to meet with the Americans to discuss ending the war, which has already claimed thousands of lives and impacted global markets.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran still has a chance to reach an agreement with Washington.
“Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely," he emphasized. "All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways.”
US-Iran talks
Ahead of the negotiations, Iran’s foreign minister arrived in Islamabad, while a US logistics and security team is already on the ground.
Meanwhile, the composition of the US delegation has changed: Vice President JD Vance will not take part in the meeting and is currently “on standby.” According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, he may be involved if it is deemed “a necessary use of his time.”
President Donald Trump warned of consequences if the talks collapse, stating that in such a case “many bombs will start exploding,” hinting at large-scale military escalation.
At the same time, the US military is preparing strike scenarios against Iranian targets in case the ceasefire fails. Potential targets include fortified positions in the Strait of Hormuz.
