By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left the Pakistani capital on Saturday after handing over Tehran’s formal response to American proposals for ending the war, in a day of intensive consultations with Pakistan’s prime minister and top military commander.
Hours later, President Donald Trump abruptly canceled a planned visit by two senior US envoys who had been expected to fly to Islamabad for further talks.
Araghchi, who arrived late on Friday, described the visit as “very fruitful” in a post on X. “Shared Iran’s position concerning a workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran,” he wrote. “Have yet to see if the US is truly serious about diplomacy.”
Pakistani officials said he outlined Tehran’s negotiating demands and its reservations about US positions on a ceasefire, the naval blockade and the sequencing of any concessions. The meetings showed Pakistan’s role as the primary channel between Washington and Tehran in a diplomatic process that has grown increasingly indirect.
No direct talks between Iranian and American officials occurred during Araghchi’s stop here, Iranian officials said beforehand. Part of his delegation returned to Tehran “to consult and obtain the necessary instructions on issues related to ending the war,” Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported, adding that those officials were scheduled to rejoin Araghchi in Islamabad on Sunday night. Araghchi himself flew on to Muscat, Oman, but is expected to return to Pakistan before continuing to Russia, IRNA said.
In Washington, Trump told reporters in Florida that he called off the trip by special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner — who were preparing for an 18-hour flight — because Iran’s latest offer was “not good enough.” Speaking to Fox News earlier, he said he had instructed his team: “Nope, you’re not making an 18-hour flight to go there. We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want.”
Trump later posted on Truth Social: “Too much time wasted on travelling, 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 told Axios the cancellation did not signal a return to hostilities. “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.” After the cancellation, Trump said, Iran quickly improved its offer. “They gave us a paper that should have been better, and interestingly, immediately, when I cancelled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much better,” he told reporters outside Air Force One. Pressed for details, he said only that Tehran “offered a lot but not enough.”
The episode came at a fragile moment. A ceasefire brokered around April 7 and 8 has been extended indefinitely, creating space for diplomacy but leaving core disputes — over the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, nuclear restrictions and the order of concessions — unresolved. The first round of direct US-Iran talks, held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, lasted more than 20 hours without agreement but kept the indirect channel open. Since then, exchanges have continued through Pakistani intermediaries.
Araghchi began his day with a meeting with Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. State-run Pakistan Television reported that the two sides discussed “matters of mutual interest and the overall regional situation.” A Pakistani source said Araghchi explained Iran’s “principled positions” on the ceasefire and “the complete end of the imposed war against Iran,” while Munir reaffirmed Islamabad’s readiness to mediate.
Later, at the Prime Minister’s House, Araghchi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Iran’s ambassador. Sharif called the roughly two-hour session “a most warm, cordial exchange of views on the current regional situation” and said the two sides also discussed strengthening bilateral ties. Dar told reporters the prime minister had stressed “the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
On Saturday evening, Sharif spoke by telephone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for about 50 minutes. According to a readout from the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to acting as an “honest and sincere facilitator” and welcomed the high-level Iranian delegation. He briefed Pezeshkian on his own recent outreach to world leaders and expressed appreciation for Iran’s engagement.
Pezeshkian thanked Sharif, Munir and Dar for their contributions to the peace efforts and said he was confident that ties between the two countries would continue to strengthen. The Iranian leader also conveyed greetings to Pakistan for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination.
The diplomatic activity unfolded against the backdrop of continued US pressure. US Central Command said Saturday that the Navy had redirected 37 ships as part of the blockade of Iranian ports. One of them, the tanker M/V Sevan — recently added to U.S. sanctions lists — was intercepted in the Arabian Sea and escorted toward Iran. Iranian officials have repeatedly said they will not accept “forced negotiations” while the blockade remains in place.
Araghchi’s departure aboard a Gulfstream G600 — reportedly provided by the Pakistani military, though neither side confirmed or denied the detail — was interpreted by some diplomats as a sign of Islamabad’s active facilitation of his regional shuttle. Neither the Pakistani military nor Iranian officials commented publicly on the aircraft.
Pakistani officials described the situation as fluid. Mediation efforts remain focused on bridging gaps over sequencing and the blockade, even as public positions on both sides stay firm. Araghchi’s return to Islamabad is expected as soon as Sunday night, keeping the indirect channel alive.
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