Trump Cancels Envoys' Trip to Islamabad for Iran Talks

US President Donald Trump has cancelled a planned trip to Pakistan by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for peace talks with Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi and his delegation left Islamabad on Saturday after laying out Tehran's demands and its reservations about the US positions to Pakistan. Earlier, Tehran had said it would not meet US officials directly. Washington and Tehran are at a costly impasse in fighting that began on February 28, with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, in which thousands have been killed. The conflict, entering its ninth week, has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries one-fifth of global oil shipments. That's pushed up energy prices, stoking inflation and darkening global growth prospects. Earlier this month, US Vice President J.D. Vance led a first round of unsuccessful talks in Pakistan. Trump extended a two-week ceasefire on Speaking on Friday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hentseth told reporters that Iran knows there's still an opportunity at the negotiating table and that all they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways.