Iran war live: Iran says no talks under siege as FM expected in Pakistan

Iran said it will not negotiate while it is under blockade pressure, as Pakistan continues trying to keep the Iran-U.S. diplomatic channel alive.

The latest turn came after Donald Trump said he canceled a planned trip to Pakistan by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for Iran talks. Trump said Iran could call the United States if it wants to resume negotiations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian made the blockade comment in a call with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to AP’s reporting from Iranian state-linked media. AP also reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected back in Islamabad on April 26 for further meetings with Pakistani officials.

Pakistan has been trying to mediate between Washington and Tehran, but the latest reporting suggests the channel remains fragile and no direct U.S.-Iran meeting is set.

What changed

The immediate shift was Trump’s cancellation of the planned envoy trip, which Bloomberg first reported and AP later confirmed. That came on top of Iran’s position that it will not negotiate while it is being squeezed by a blockade.

Araghchi’s return to Islamabad keeps Pakistan at the center of the effort, even as the U.S. and Iran publicly remain far apart on the terms for talks.

Why it matters

The exchange shows how quickly the diplomacy around the Iran war can swing. Even with mediation efforts still underway, the basic gap remains: Washington wants engagement, while Tehran says it will not talk under coercion.

What to watch

The key question is whether Pakistan can preserve a back channel, and whether any new U.S. or Iranian statement changes the current stalemate.