Donald Trump cancelled a planned trip by US officials to Pakistan for talks on the Iran war on Saturday, shortly after Tehran's delegation had left Islamabad.
The US president said special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner would be wasting 'too much time', adding that if Iran wanted to talk 'all they have to do is call'.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi held talks with mediator Pakistan, stating he had conveyed Iran's stance on ending the war but was unclear whether the US was 'truly serious about diplomacy'.
Diplomatic efforts have stalled despite Trump's extension of a ceasefire that had been due to expire on April 22 to allow talks to continue.
Both sides have been locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran restricting passage through the key shipping route in response to US and Israeli strikes that began in February and ongoing concerns regarding Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
The US has increased its naval presence in the strait, vital for global oil exports, to impede Iranian oil trading.
Initially, the White House indicated that the Iranians 'want to talk' when the trip was announced on Friday, but Iran countered that there were no plans for a direct meeting.
Trump stated that the ceasefire would remain effective, even as hopes for further discussions faded. When questioned if the cancelled trip implied a return to war, he replied: 'No, it doesn't mean that. We haven't thought about it yet.'
On announcing the cancellation, Trump remarked on the 'tremendous infighting and confusion' within Iran's government, asserting that 'nobody knows who is in charge, including them'.
On his Truth Social platform, he expressed: 'Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!'
The White House had noted that US Vice-President JD Vance was 'on standby' to join the talks had they proven successful.
Vance had led the US delegation in an initial round of discussions earlier this month, and his absence from the upcoming planned discussions signaled that expectations for significant breakthroughs were waning.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian previously indicated that Tehran remained open to dialogues, however, 'breach of commitments, blockade and threats are the main obstacles to genuine negotiations.'
Pakistan has acted as a mediator to facilitate communication between both nations in recent weeks, including inconclusive discussions between senior officials on April 11.
Araghchi's visit, which also includes stops in Oman and Russia, had been described by him on social media as 'fruitful', having presented Iran's position regarding a solution to permanently end the war with the US.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif noted that there had been a 'most warm, cordial exchange of views on the current regional situation' during the talks.
According to Iranian state media, Araghchi is expected to return to Islamabad following his trip to Oman.
