Steve Witkoff

U.S.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were supposed to travel to Islamabad.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi left Pakistan earlier today after Iranian officials made it clear they only planned to meet with Pakistani officials, not with the U.S.

Iran has dismissed Trump's unilateral extension of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire as, quote, meaningless, saying the continued U.S.

blockade on Iranian ports is in violation of that agreement.

The U.S.

is intercepting ships coming to or from Iran, as Iran is maintaining military control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Most ships in and around the strait are not moving, and neither side appears to be budging.

Kat Lonsdorff, NPR News, Beirut.

And so we had a meeting initially with Eric, Don Jr.

and the president and his counsel.

And we said, let's go pursue it.

The president wants a peace deal, but

He also believes in, and I believe in it too, peace through strength.

I have no doubt that we exhausted all efforts on behalf of a peaceful resolution as you directed.

Jared and I both agreed that the Iranians were there to buy time until a weaker president arrived.

This was a flawed strategy as your clear direction was to never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon today or any time in the future.

We have, along with your foreign policy team, presented a 15-point action list that forms the framework for a peace deal.

This has been circulated through the Pakistani government, acting as the mediator.

And this has resulted in strong and positive messaging and talks.