Islamabad, Pakistan. U.S. negotiators are scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Saturday, but Iran said its officials do not plan to meet U.S. representatives to discuss ending the war. The conflict has killed thousands and roiled global markets.
U.S. delegation and planned talks
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are due to depart on Saturday morning for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, the White House said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that Iran had a chance to make a “good deal” with the United States. He said Iran had an open window to “choose wisely” and that it needed to abandon a nuclear weapon in “meaningful and verifiable ways.”
Iran rules out meeting and cites mediation
Araqchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson posted on X that Iranian officials did not plan to meet with U.S. representatives and that Tehran’s concerns would be conveyed to mediator Pakistan.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Iranian statement.
Economic and strategic pressures
Washington and Tehran are at a costly impasse as Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries one-fifth of global oil shipments, while the U.S. blocks Iran’s oil exports. The conflict, entering its ninth week, has pushed energy prices to multi-year highs, stoking inflation and darkening global growth prospects.
Signals on negotiations and next steps
Trump told Reuters on Friday that Iran planned to make an offer aimed at satisfying U.S. demands but that he did not know what the offer entailed. He declined to say who Washington was negotiating with, saying, “but we’re dealing with the people that are in charge now”.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. had seen some progress from the Iranian side in recent days and hoped more would come this weekend, while Vice President JD Vance was ready to travel to Pakistan as well.
Previous talks
Vance, Witkoff, Kushner and Araqchi, as well as the speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, took part in inconclusive talks in Islamabad two weeks ago.
What do you think the Iranian decision not to meet U.S. representatives could mean for the talks in Pakistan?
