Trump said that it was pointless to fly to Islamabad on an 18-hour flight.
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US President Donald Trump has said that US representatives will not go to Pakistan for talks. He said this in a telephone conversation with Fox News. He said that it is pointless to fly 18 hours to Islamabad. He said that the Iranians can call the US for talks at any time if necessary. “I told my people not to go to Islamabad until a short time before it is appropriate. It is pointless to go on an 18-hour flight when we have all the cards,” Trump said. On Saturday, US envoy for West Asia Steve Whittock and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were scheduled to go to Islamabad for talks. Islamabad is mediating to end the US war with Iran. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Asim Munir in Islamabad. Prime Minister Sharif informed that there were in-depth discussions on West Asia issues. "We had cordial talks on regional crises. We also discussed mutual interests. We also discussed strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Iran," he wrote on social media. Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said that Prime Minister Sharif and Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi held talks for about two hours.
Iran has been taking a stand that it will not hold direct talks until the US blockade on the Strait of Hormuz is lifted. A delegation led by Foreign Minister Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Saturday to convey its demands to the US through Pakistan. The delegation returned to Iran on Saturday itself.
Earlier, long talks were held between the US and Iran on April 11 and 12. However, the talks were not successful. Pakistan has been continuously trying for a second round of talks.
After the US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, there has been a huge loss of life and property in West Asia. The two-week ceasefire between Iran and the US on April 8 has been extended further. But efforts to end the war have not been fruitful.
Iran has been blocking the Strait of Hormuz since the attack on it. The US has also imposed a blockade on the region after talks failed on April 12.
The dual blockade of Hormuz has deepened the global energy crisis. Before the war, about 20 percent of the world's total crude oil and gas used to pass through this region.
