US and Iran cancel peace talks as Strait of Hormuz standoff continues President Donald Trump abruptly canceled planned peace talks with Iran on Saturday, April 25, 2026, just hours before U.S. Envoys were set to depart for Pakistan. Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were due to meet Iranian leaders in Islamabad, but Trump called off the trip, citing “infighting” among Iran’s leadership and stating the U.S. “has all the cards.” The cancellation came despite recent progress in negotiations and a White House announcement earlier in the week that the envoys would travel to advance discussions aimed at ending the war. The decision followed a day of diplomatic activity in Islamabad, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had engaged in talks with Pakistani officials before departing for Oman. Araghchi later stated on X that Iran had “yet to see if the U.S. Is truly serious about diplomacy.” Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, reiterated that reopening the Strait of Hormuz remains “impossible” whereas the U.S. And Israel continue what he described as “flagrant” breaches of the ceasefire. In a nationally televised address on April 19, Ghalibaf acknowledged progress in talks but emphasized that “many gaps and some fundamental points remain” and that Iran is “still far from the final discussion.” He specifically cited the ongoing U.S. Naval blockade of Iranian ports and actions by Israel as obstacles to resolving the strait impasse. The Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied fossil gas passes during peacetime, has remained closed amid mutual blockades. Iranian forces recently seized two ships attempting to cross the waterway—the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and the Liberia-flagged Epaminondas—accusing them of covertly exiting the strait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the seizures, stating the vessels were brought to shore in Bandar Abbas. Despite the canceled talks, President Trump extended the ceasefire this past week, though he maintained the U.S. Naval blockade. In West Palm Beach before boarding Air Force One, Trump told reporters that Iran could simply “call” the U.S. If it wished to negotiate, adding that the administration would not spend “15 hours in airplanes” to receive inadequate proposals. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also weighed in on April 19, challenging U.S. Positions on Iran’s nuclear program and stating that Trump “cannot justify depriving Tehran of what he called its ‘nuclear rights.'” Pezeshkian questioned the basis for U.S. Restrictions, asking, “Who is he to deprive a nation of its rights?” The negotiations, which have centered on the future of Iran’s nuclear program and the status of the Strait of Hormuz, remain stalled. Both sides continue to accuse each other of violating the ceasefire, with Tehran asserting it is “fully prepared” for the U.S. To resume hostilities at any moment. As the ceasefire extension nears its expiration, the path to a breakthrough appears uncertain, with fundamental disagreements persisting over sanctions, naval access, and regional security arrangements.
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