Iran live updates: Trump cancels Witkoff, Kushner trip to Islamabad for peace talks

The White House had said that Witkoff and Kushner would travel to Islamabad.

ABCNews logo
Last updated: Saturday, April 25, 2026 5:47PM GMT
ABC News Live

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan earlier this month failed to reach a peace deal. On Tuesday, Trump announced he was extending the ceasefire and continuing the blockade until Iran's proposal is submitted and discussions are concluded "one way or the other."

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
ABCNews logo
2 hours and 26 minutes ago

Trump cancels Witkoff, Kushner's trip to Islamabad for peace talks

President Donald Trump has canceled the trip by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Islamabad for another round of peace talks due to Iran's posture during the negotiations, the president said in a social media post Saturday.

"Too much time wasted on traveling, 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!" he said.

With the Iranian Foreign Minister having left Pakistan ahead of Witkoff and Kushner's arrival, Trump said that if Iran wants to negotiate, "all they have to do is call."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Friday that it was the Iranians who requested these rounds of negotiations despite claims from the regime that they had no plans to speak trilaterally.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation flew out of Islamabad Saturday following their talks with Pakistani leaders.

-ABC News' Isabella Murray

ByHabi Khan ABCNews logo
Apr 24, 2026, 7:33 PM GMT

US, Iran delegations to meet with Pakistani mediators: Pakistani official

U.S. and Iranian delegations will have separate meetings with Pakistani officials this weekend, a senior Pakistani government official told ABC News. If those meetings go well, the U.S. and Iranian delegations would then meet directly on Sunday, the official said.

The official said the Iranian delegation has arrived in Pakistan and the U.S. delegation is expected to arrive Saturday evening local time.

ByNicholas Kerr, Emily Chang and Michelle Stoddart ABCNews logo
Apr 24, 2026, 5:43 PM GMT

Witkoff, Kushner to travel to Islamabad Saturday for peace talks

President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday for another round of peace talks with Iranian officials, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.

They will "engage in talks, direct talks inter-mediated by the Pakistanis, who have been incredible friends and mediators throughout this entire process, with representatives from the Iranian delegation," she said Friday. "The Iranians reached out as the president called on them to do, and asked for this in-person conversation. So the president is dispatching Steve and Jared to go hear what they have to say."

Jared Kushner, left, and Steve Witkoff, listen during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Jared Kushner, left, and Steve Witkoff, listen during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Leavitt said Vice President JD Vance will not be going but said he "remains deeply involved in this entire process, and he'll be standing by here in the United States, along with the president and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the entire national security team for updates."

When asked whether the administration had any indication that the Iranians were closer to coming to a deal, Leavitt only said "we'll see," adding that it was part of the reason for the trip by Witkoff and Kushner.

ABCNews logo
Apr 24, 2026, 2:08 PM GMT

Hegseth says 'blockade is growing and going global'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says "our blockade is only growing and going global" and that Iran "will never get a nuclear bomb."

"Operation Epic Fury has delivered decisive military results," Hegseth said during a press conference at the Pentagon on Friday morning.

"Iran has an important choice, a chance to make a deal, a good deal, a wise deal. As part of that effort, the United States has imposed an ironclad blockade that grows more powerful by the day. From the gulf of Oman to the open oceans, our Navy is enforcing this blockade without hesitation or apology," Hegseth said.