BREAKING: US Pullout From Pakistan Iran Talks Leaves Hormuz Crisis Hanging in the Balance

According to the Punch Newspaper on the 25th April 2026. In a sudden diplomatic reversal, United States President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he has cancelled a planned trip by his envoys to Pakistan, which was intended to host a new round of peace talks with Iran. The decision has cast fresh uncertainty over efforts to end the ongoing US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic, now in its eighth week.

Trump, speaking to Fox News, said he personally vetoed the mission. His envoys—Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner—had been scheduled to travel to Islamabad for what the White House had earlier described as an “in-person conversation” aimed at moving negotiations toward a deal.

But a defiant Trump struck a hardline tone. “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,” the US leader said, claiming he had issued those instructions directly to his team.

When asked by Axios whether cancelling the trip signalled an imminent resumption of full-scale hostilities against Iran, Trump replied: “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”

The announcement came just hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrapped up his own diplomatic visit to Islamabad. Araghchi met with Pakistan’s military chief, General Asim Munir—a key mediator—as well as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

In a post on X, Araghchi described his Pakistan trip as “very fruitful”, adding that he had shared Tehran’s position on a “workable framework to permanently end the war”. However, he struck a cautious note, saying: “Have yet to see if the US is truly serious about diplomacy.”

Even before Trump’s intervention, expectations for direct US-Iran talks in Islamabad had been low. Iranian state television had already reported that Araghchi had no plans to meet with American officials, and that Pakistan’s role would be limited to “conveying” Iranian proposals.

The urgency for a diplomatic breakthrough has grown as the Strait of Hormuz—a vital artery for global oil and gas supplies—remains effectively closed. But on Saturday, Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards made clear they have no intention of ending their blockade. In a Telegram statement, the Guards called control of the waterway the “definitive strategy of Islamic Iran”.

The US has retaliated with its own blockade of Iranian ports. Iran’s military central command warned that if “the invading US military continues blockading, banditry, and piracy in the region, they should be certain that they will face a response”.

Since the only previous round of US-Iran talks—also hosted by Pakistan—efforts to return to the table have stalled, with Tehran refusing to negotiate while the US naval blockade remains.

Meanwhile, Iran has allowed only a trickle of ships to pass through Hormuz. European Council President Antonio Costa demanded the waterway “must immediately reopen without restrictions and without tolling”, but with Trump cancelling the planned talks and both sides hardening positions, a quick resolution appears increasingly remote.

Araghchi has since left Islamabad for Muscat to meet Omani officials, and is expected to continue to Russia for further consultations. But the path to a permanent end to the war looks no clearer than when fighting began on February 28.