meaningful news<\/a>) – US President Donald J. Trump said on Saturday that he has ordered his envoys not to go to Pakistan for talks with Iranian officials.<\/p>\n“I told my guys a while ago that they were getting ready to go, and I said, ‘No, you’re not taking an 18-hour flight to get there,'” he told US broadcaster Fox News.<\/p>\n
Special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were to make the trip, as it had already been decided that Vice President J.D. Vance would not join them.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Trump blamed Tehran for the blockage. “We have all the cards. They can call us whenever they want, but you’re not going to fly 18 hours just to sit around without talking.”<\/p>\n
Iran has accused the United States of sticking to “maximalist” demands in talks and cited a lack of trust in Washington.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi during his visit to Islamabad conveyed Tehran’s demands for talks as well as his objections to the US proposals to Pakistani officials, a Pakistani source involved in the talks said.<\/p>\n
sticking point<\/strong><\/p>\nThe main points of friction include disputes over control of and access to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass.<\/p>\n
Iran has claimed greater control over the waterway, while Washington has insisted on complete freedom of navigation.<\/p>\n
The second major issue is Iran’s nuclear program. The United States and its allies have pushed for strict limits on uranium enrichment, while Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes and has resisted calls to halt enrichment altogether.<\/p>\n
Sanctions relief remains a major hurdle, with Tehran demanding the removal of US economic sanctions, while Washington has favored a phased approach linked to verifiable steps.<\/p>\n
Efforts to reach a deal have been further complicated by broader tensions over Iran’s regional role and security concerns among U.S. allies, as well as Israel’s ongoing efforts to counter Iran’s leadership and its network of regional proxies that Western officials and Israeli leaders say aim to weaken or threaten the Jewish state.<\/p>\n
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