US negotiators to go to Islamabad, but Iran says no direct talks

Trump unilaterally ​extended a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday ​to allow more time to reconvene ⁠the negotiators

A boat sails past a tanker anchored on the Strait of Hormuz off the coast Qeshm island, Iran, Saturday, April 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Asghar Besharati)

US negotiators are scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Saturday, but ​Iran said its officials did not plan to meet the Americans to discuss ending the war that has killed thousands and ‌roiled global markets.

President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are due to depart on Saturday morning for talks with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi, the White House said.