Trump Cancels Pakistan Trip, Demands Iran Call Instead
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- Trump said on Fox News Sunday that U.S. officials won't travel to Pakistan for Iran peace talks, telling Iran: "If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us. You know, there is a telephone"
- Trump had already canceled the Islamabad trip on Saturday, calling off Vice President JD Vance's planned attendance alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, citing "tremendous infighting and confusion" in Iran's leadership
- Trump extended the Iran ceasefire indefinitely, conditioning any future meeting on Tehran presenting a proposal and the demand that "they cannot have a nuclear weapon, otherwise there's no reason to meet"
- Trump acknowledged the U.S. has "struggled to gain total control" over the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has planted mines, prompting a U.S. naval blockade that the president said is squeezing Iran's dwindling resources
- Trump claimed U.S. forces have "taken out their navy in its entirety" and "have no air force left," and that Iran's prior leaders — "far more radicalized" — are "gone"
- Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is "severely wounded" and being isolated to prevent further U.S. strikes, according to the article
- Iran's embassy in South Africa warned Saturday that Tehran is prepared to launch "the largest missile strike in history" against U.S. and Israeli bases in West Asia if attacked again during negotiations
Why it matters: The U.S. is leveraging claims of military dominance — a naval blockade at the Strait of Hormuz and the alleged elimination of Iran's navy and air force — to demand Iran make the diplomatic concession of traveling to Washington, even as Trump admits the U.S. is struggling to control the critical oil shipping waterway and a wounded, isolated Khamenei remains in charge of a country threatening its "largest missile strike in history" if attacked again.
