MUSIC star Frankie Valli has sadly cancelled his upcoming 2026 tour dates amid ongoing health issues.
The Four Seasons frontman, 92, made the decision to end his highly anticipated farewell tour early, leaving fans devastated.
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Frankie Valli has sadly cancelled his upcoming 2026 tour dates amid ongoing health issuesCredit: GettyValli is known as one of the founding members within the 60’s group The Four SeasonsCredit: Alamy
The singer, who had been embarking on his tour The Last Encores, took to his Instagram to reveal that he would now be ‘focusing on health’ before performing again.
In a touching statement alongside a photo of him onstage, he penned: “I’m so sorry to disappoint the folks who have purchased tickets to my shows.
“But I have decided to take the rest of the year off from touring to focus on my health.”
He went on to reveal that he would hopefully will be back once his health returns.
“I’m looking forward to getting healthy and seeing you all again soon. Thank you for all your good wishes,” he added.
The music legend was met with floods of comments from fans sending him well wishes.
One user said: “Stay healthy! We will work around whatever schedule keeps you going! You are a treasure.”
Another added: “Thank you for all these years of fabulous music. It’s been wonderful. Sending prayers that we will once again see you in concert next year!”
“No need to apologize. You’ve given us some of the greatest songs ever written. Take care of yourself,” wrote a third.
With a fourth commenting: “We love you, Frankie! (heart emoji)”
Frankie Valli is hoping to return to touring in 2027 once his health recoversCredit: Alamy
Valli is known as one of the founding members of the 60’s group The Four Seasons.
The group dominated the music industry and delivered classics such as Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) and Sherry.
Valli’s rep Victoria Varela in a statement to Variety revealed the decision was made to keep fans out of ‘limbo’, as the star continues to regain his health.
She said: “Promoters want to prolong things and not give people their money back, but he needs to not keep rescheduling these shows.
“He realized he needed to take a break and get his health in order, and that is the true issue – he wants to get better without prolonging, through the rescheduling process, the pain of people who’ve bought these tickets.”
She also confirmed that throughout the next six months Valli will be spending time getting well and may well consider touring again in 2027.
A HUGE British band has been forced to cancel their UK tour after one of the member’s revealed a devastating diagnosis.
Popular indie duo Seafret have scrapped the remainder of their current UK tour after the band’s lead guitarist Harry Draper was diagnosed with a debilitating eye disease that will eventually cause him to go blind.
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Seafret have been forced to cancel their UK tour over health fearsCredit: InstagramHarry Draper (right) revealed he’s been diagnosed with a rare condition called StargardtCredit: Instagram
The band, who consist of Harry alongside frontman Jack Sedman and first formed in 2011, shared the news in a statement on the band’s social media on Tuesday afternoon.
Harry explained he had been diagnosed with Stargardt, which is a rare genetic eye condition that causes progressive central vision loss.
The post read: “Hey everyone, I’m so sorry to have to do this, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to cancel the remainder of the tour.
“I’m going to be totally honest with you, I’m struggling. I’ve recently been diagnosed with an eye disease called Stargardt, which will sadly mean I’m going to go blind.”
Harry said he he is going to ‘go blind’ as he told fans that he’s taking a break from musicCredit: InstagramIn a statement, the determined star said he ‘won’t let this stop’ himCredit: Instagram
The musician said he was going to take some time out but thanked his fans for their support and insisted “I won’t let this stop me”.
“It’s been so much to get my head around, and I’ve really struggled to see last few nights on stage,” the statement continued.
“I just need to take a bit of time out to get my head around all of this.
“I won’t let this stop me, but I do just need a little time.
“I know you’ll understand, you’re the best fans in the world. From the bottom of my heart, I’m so sorry. Harry xx.”
The band’s fans rushed to show their support for the musician following his statement regarding his diagnosis.
The duo kicked off their huge UK and European tour last week and were due to visit a number of cities around the UK before heading over to Europe next month.
The band first achieved chart success in 2016 when their debut album charted on the official album charts.
They then went on to release a number of singles and EPs. Their biggest success came in 2022, when a sped-up version of their song “Atlantis” went viral on TikTok.
Following this, they released an official version of the song, leading it to chart all across Europe and pass over 400 million streams on Spotify.
While their monthly listeners on the platform increased to over 13 million.
Hundreds of passengers were left stuck at major UK airports as airlines included British Airways cancelled departing flights alongside hundreds of other delays
British Airways cancelled further flights on Friday (Image: Jaroslaw Kilian via Getty Images)
Hundreds of passengers have been left stranded at major UK airports after several flights have been cancelled.
British Airways were one of many airlines who cancelled flights on Friday, May 15, leaving travelers stuck at several airports across the nation.
The significant wave of disruption saw a total of 465 flight delays and 25 cancellations on the one day.
Flights from British Airways, American Airlines, Norse Atlantic Airways, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were among those impacted.
London Heathrow was the most significantly impacted, with 233 flights delayed.
A total of 22 flights were also cancelled from the busy travel hub, with 17 of these being British Airways flights.
At Gatwick, cancellations were kept to a minimum with only one British Airways journey called off.
Despite this, 142 flights from the London airport departed later than scheduled.
In Scotland another British Airways flight did not go ahead, with a further 58 delays logged from Edinburgh airport.
Glasgow also saw a cancellation from British Airways.
The disturbance comes as the travel industry is suffering at the hands of the Middle East conflict due to hiking fuel costs as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.
Data shows that airlines have dramatically ramped up flight cancellations for May as jet fuel costs continue to soar.
In total, Cirium recorded 296 departures from UK airports scrapped this month as of Tuesday; a sharp rise from 120 cancellations just six days earlier.
Last week, British Airways’ parent company IAG warned its profits will be hit as it expects to spend about two billion euro (£1.72 billion) more than planned on fuel this year.
Chief executive Luis Gallego said IAG does not believe there will be “any interruption for the summer” in terms of jet fuel supplies.
A huge singer and rapper has apologised to fans saying “I love you all” after he was forced to cancel the first three weeks of his tour.
The star got candid with his loyal fans on social media as he revealed the reason why – and it’s not what you might expect.
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The US rapper released a statement on Instagram saying he was ‘so sorry’ and ‘can’t wait’ to see fans soonCredit: Instagram / postmalonePost Malone has apologised to fans after he was forced to cancel the first three weeks of his upcoming tourCredit: Getty
Post Malone, kicked off the Big A** Stadium Tour in Salt Lake City last April and was due to begin part 2 on May 13 in El Paso, Texas.
But unfortunately the Circles singer has now postponed the tour with Jelly Roll until June 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Taking to Instagram, Post Malone said in a statement: “Looking at the upcoming schedule after Stagecoach [festival], I came to the realization that what we were trying to do, and what’s possible isn’t really lining up.
“Truth is I promised y’all beautiful people new music, and I don’t have the time to finish it before our tour starts. We ain’t ready for tour just yet, so I’m making the decision to push the tour back about 3 weeks to get this music done.”
The 30-year-old is set to release his upcoming seventh studio album soonCredit: GettyPost Malone’s tour was supposed to begin on May 13 but has now been pushed back to June 9Credit: Getty
Post Malone, who’s real name is Austin Post, continued: “That being said I’m so sorry to the folks who were planning on coming to the few cancelled shows…
“That THAT being said we’ve been making some bada** s**t for this album… and I can’t wait to perform for y’all. I love you and can’t wait to see you crazy motherf*****s soon.”
The rapper has cancelled five dates more dates after the opening night including May 19 in Waco,Texas; May 23 in Baton Rouge,Louisiana; May 26 inBirmingham,Alabama; May 29 in Tampa,Floridaand June 5 in Oxford,Mississippi.
Post Malone’s upcoming seventh studio album The Eternal Buzz has been teased as a mega project with 40 songs.
Most read in Entertainment
The star last released F-1 Trillion back in 2024 and it was a huge hit – charting at number 1 in the US, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and The Netherlands.
His pending project will be more traditionally country as opposed to F-1 Trillion, which is categorized under country pop.
SPIRIT Airlines has confirmed it has officially shut down after all last-minutes attempts to save the company fell through.
Donald Trump on Friday had said he had offered a final proposal for a federal bailout.
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Spirit Airlines has collapsed and has canceled all flights after a rescue deal fell throughCredit: Reuters
But a deal was not made after talks hit a wall over a $500million rescue package.
American, United and Frontier Airlines have all offered to support any passengers left stranded by the closure.
It comes after the airline filed for bankruptcy for a second time.
“It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind-down of our operations, effective immediately,” the airline said in a statement on Saturday.
“All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport.
“We are proud of the impact of our ultra-low-cost model on the industry over the last 34 years and had hoped to serve our guests for many years to come.”
Spirit, like many other airlines, has been plagued with skyrocketing fuel costs as the Iran war continues, with some carriers raising fares and increasing checked bag fees.
“Unfortunately, despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook,” it said.
Some other budget-friendly airlines have asked the government for help as they face jet fuel price spikes.
Spirit’s collapse just a day after it was still selling tickets to travelers has left thousands stranded as all flights have been canceled.
In addition to this, 17,000 workers are now out of work including 14,000 airline employees and thousands of contractors.
Passengers with Spirit tickets will be getting automatic refunds if they booked directly with the airline using a debit or credit card.
Those who have tickets from travel agents must “contact the travel agent directly to request a refund.”
The airline added that it will not be able to help passengers re-book their flights with another airline.
However, rival carriers have offered help, with JetBlue offering passengers $99 one-way fares for those who have proof of a Spirit itinerary for the same route of travel until May 6.
The airline has urged stranded passengers to call 1-800-JETBLUE for help getting where they need to go.
In addition to this, JetBlue has capped basic fares at $299 or less on certain non-stop routes.
Similar moves are being made by United, Delta, and Southewest, the Department of Transportation confirmed.
“The Trump Administration is committed to taking care of you and your family when you fly,” said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
“In a matter of hours, we’ve activated our airline partners to ensure passengers are not stranded, communities maintain route access, fares do not skyrocket, and Spirit’s workforce is connected to new job opportunities.”
The department has outlined the ways that it and fellow airlines are assisting those affected by Spirit’s collapse from capped and reduced fares to refund advice and employee support.
Duffy has largely blamed former President Joe Biden for the airline’s collapse.
This is because a proposed merger between Spirit and JetBlue was blocked under the Biden administration in 2024 which Duffy called “a massive mistake” in a press conference on Saturday morning.
He added that President Trump was “like a dog with a bone” trying to find a deal to keep Spirit afloat but noted that the airline “was in dire straights long before the war in Iran.”
And it’s not just Spirit struggling financially, with The Association of Value Airlines seeking $2.5billion in federal help to keep discount airlines like Breeze and Frontier running amid high fuel prices.
Duffy has already rejected this level of funding and in his press conference, accused low-budget airlines of trying to piggyback on the generosity the Trump administration showed to save Spirit in trying to save it.
The collapse of the US-based budget carrier due to a doubling in jet fuel prices will cost thousands of jobs.
Published On 2 May 20262 May 2026
Low-cost US carrier Spirit Airlines has said that all of its flights have been cancelled as it started an “orderly wind-down of operations,” after a potential White House bailout fell through.
“Spirit Aviation Holdings, Inc., parent company of Spirit Airlines … today regretfully announced that the Company has started an orderly wind-down of operations, effective immediately. All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport,” the airline said in a statement in the early hours of Saturday.
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Spirit had 4,119 domestic flights scheduled between May 1 and May 15, offering 809,638 seats, according to the latest data from Cirium.
The collapse of the carrier due to a doubling in jet fuel prices during the two-month-old Iran war will cost thousands of jobs. It is also a blow to US President Donald Trump, who had proposed $500m to save Spirit despite opposition from some of his closest advisers and many Republicans in Congress.
Spirit had reached a deal with its lenders that would have helped it emerge from its second bankruptcy by late spring or early summer. But those plans derailed after the US war on Iran triggered a spike in jet fuel prices, upending Spirit’s cost projections and complicating its bankruptcy exit.
A Spirit board meeting had ended without an agreement to rescue the company, a person close to the discussions told the Reuters news agency late on Friday.
“Unfortunately, despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook,” Spirit said in a statement announcing its “orderly wind-down”.
Trump on Friday said the White House had given Spirit and its creditors a final rescue proposal, after talks hit an impasse over a $500m financing package that would have helped the airline keep operating through bankruptcy.
“If we can help them, we will, but we have to come first,” Trump told reporters. “If we could do it, we’d do it, but only if it’s a good deal.”
Spirit’s restructuring plan assumed jet fuel costs of about $2.24 a gallon in 2026 and $2.14 in 2027, but prices had climbed to about $4.51 a gallon by the end of April, leaving the carrier unable to survive without new financing.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Reuters he had tried to get many airlines to buy Spirit but found no takers. “What would someone buy?” Duffy asked. “If no one else wants to buy them, why would we buy them?”
A creditor close to the deal said, “The Trump administration made an extraordinary effort to try and save Spirit, but you can’t breathe life into a corpse. Given that, the company should make its intentions clear for the sake of its customers and employees.”
No US carrier of Spirit’s size – it accounted for 5 percent of US flights at one point – has liquidated in two decades. Spirit helped keep fares lower in markets where it competed against major carriers.
Its collapse shows how the Iran war’s fuel-price shock has exposed weaker airlines. Across the globe, airlines have been increasing prices to reflect the high cost of jet fuel and some airlines have also cut flights.
German airline Lufthansa last month said it cancelled 20,000 flights in a bid to protect itself from the soaring cost of oil.
On Friday, Indian carrier Air India also said it has increased fuel surcharges on all flights and said it will cut 100 flights a day across domestic and international routes.
Zayn Malik, the former One Direction star turned solo artist, canceled all U.S. dates for his upcoming tour. The hitmaker was recently hospitalized for an undisclosed illness.
“To my fans: Thank you so much for all the support and love you’ve shown me on the album release and more importantly your love, prayers, and well wishes for my health,” Malik wrote Friday in an Instagram story. “I’ve felt it, and it’s meant the world. I’ve been at home recovering and I’m doing well and will be better and stronger than before.
“I’ve had to take another look at my schedule for the months ahead and have to reduce the number of shows on the KONNAKOL Tour,” he continued. “I want to make sure I still get out and see as many of you as I possibly can. I’m really looking forward to playing these shows for you, and I hope to see the rest of you around the world very soon. Big Love, Z”
While the “Side Effects” singer still has forthcoming shows in the United Kingdom and Mexico later this month, he nixed the U.S. leg of the tour, which was slated to kick off this July in Philadelphia. Other major stops included Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Chicago, Indianapolis, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, Inglewood, Anaheim, San Francisco and Seattle, with the tour concluding in Miami on Nov. 20.
The announcement comes weeks after Malik, 33, revealed he was hospitalized. The singer didn’t disclose what condition he was suffering from, but on April 17 — the day his latest album “Konnakol” dropped — he shared a since-expired Instagram story that included selfies of the singer in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV.
“To my fans – Thank you to all of you for your love & support now & always – been a long week and am still unexpectedly recovering,” he wrote alongside the photo. “Heartbroken that I can’t see you all this week, I wouldn’t be in the place I am today without you guys and am so thankful for your understanding.”
The “Prayers” singer also thanked “all the incredible hospital staff of [doctors], nurses, cardiologist, management, admin and everyone who had helped along the way and continue to”.
Earlier this year, Malik performed his first ever seven-night residency in Las Vegas at Dolby Live at Park MGM.
DIY expert Nick Knowles said he’s no longer going to Turkey as BBC Morning Live viewers told ‘it could see holidays in jeopardy’
BBC Morning Live consumer champion Rebecca Wilcox told people when they are eligible for holiday refunds(Image: BBC)
A BBC travel expert has given an update to anyone with holidays booked or considering going on a foreign break this summer. On BBC Morning Live consumer champion Rebecca Wilcox told hosts Rav Wilding and Holly Hamilton how concern is growing from people with breaks lined up – as to if it could be cancelled, will they be charged more supplementary fees and will they be covered.
And during the section show DIY expert and guest Nick Knowles revealed his family has decided to cancel their holiday to Turkey amidst all the uncertainty. Host Helen said: “With this morning’s headlines showing oil prices at their highest level since 2022 there’s growing concern that airlines could respond by raising fares or even cancelling some flights.”
Ms Wilcox agreed and said: “It’s very worrying and and the number of headlines make us spike in our concern and I can see that the fuel price is going up making concerns go up and what we’re going to talk about today is how specifically that is going to affect the holiday pricing with airline fares because, of course, jet fuel, is integral for flying through the air.
“Jet2 has told us they are seeing an increase in holidaymakers leaving it to the very last minute to book their holidays, and that’s so they know the full cost of their trip at the time of purchase and that is due to the conflict in the Middle East.
“It tells us that there’s a real worry going on out there. People are quite hesitant to book, they don’t know whether they should go ahead with it. On Monday we heard the Prime Minister saying that airlines actually do have enough jet fuel at the moment but it could see holidays in jeopardy in the future and that depends upon how long this conflict goes on for which, of course, nobody knows.”
She said more people are considering whether to go ahead or just book a staycation in the UK instead. Presenter Holly Hamilton said: “Most people when you chat to them, it’s at the forefront of their mind about booking holidays and in some cases they are cancelling them. Nick you and I were chatting about it and you’ve cancelled your holiday.”
Nick Knowles said: “Yes a holiday in Turkey and we’ve decided to stay home. A holiday in the UK is more expensive than going abroad – so we’re going to go in the back garden and drink cocktails and sunbathe in the back garden. The trick is don’t tell anyone you’re not going away because then they’ll ring you and interrupt.”
Holly said, “Bad news, you’ve just told everybody.” Nick added, “I’m going to be in such trouble with my wife now.”
Rav asked: “Can holiday companies just raise prices then?” Rebecca said: “I’m devastated that Nick is not going to Turkey – how is he going to get those new teeth he was talking about earlier? I’m joking, obviously his teeth are beautiful.” Nick interjected: “I’m going back to the same people who did my hair it’s fine.”
When can holiday companies raise prices
Rebecca said: “They can only raise their prices in specific circumstances because there is a law protecting consumers from these huge hikes in prices that they could add on for any random charges. This law is known as the Package Travel Regulation and it means we are protected.
“The surcharges they are allowed to add on are related to things like fuel cost increases, which we’re talking about today, transport taxes and fees and any fluctuations in the exchange rate movement. They have to say this in your T&Cs at time of booking so just c heck your terms and conditions.”
Holly said: “The people who have booked their holiday will be thinking ‘how much could they possibly add on?’ “ Ms Wilcox said: “Well, it is a limited amount they can add on before they give you the option of cancelling or a refund and that amount they can add on is 8 per cent. This 8 per cent is broken down into 2 sections because the holiday company has to swallow that first 2 per cent and then you as consumer will only pay 6 per cent and that’s of the total cost of your holiday package.
“What does that look like for a holiday? So for instance if you’ve spent £1,000 on your holiday that’ll be an extra £60. A £3,500 holiday, another £210, and a £5,000 cruise that’s £300. They can only ask for this for up to 20 days before you travel and that’s why people are booking these last minute holidays because the time limit for that 6 per cent has already gone.”
Package holidays
Rav gave an example from a viewer, Jeff, who was due to pay the balance on his holiday – he’d booked the flights and the accommodation through the same agent and asked if his family would be able to get a full refund if they have to cancel our holiday because of the shortage. Ms Wilcox said: “This sounds like he’s booked a package holiday when he’s booked the flight and the accommodation together and that means you do have more protection and you should be offered a full refund and a suitable alternative if they make major changes.
“If it’s a flight only deal they must offer you a replacement flight or a refund. If they offer you a holiday voucher or credit with them instead of cash be really wary and think twice about doing it. They may lure you in by offering you something that’s supposedly more than what you spent so it looks like it’s of greater value, but I would say you’re more protected if you get the cash back.” She said there may be restrictions, there may be an end date on the credit and also the company could go bust.
She said getting travel insurance when you make the booking was vital as you’re protected from then until time of travel.
The airline has confirmed that the route will be axed at the end of May despite running since 2018, as the price of jet fuel leads to cancellations of a number of flight routes across Europe
15:08, 01 May 2026Updated 15:32, 01 May 2026
The route was first launched back in 2018(Image: AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
A major European airline has cancelled a route from the UK that has been running since 2018, and confirmed that it’ll no longer be available to book as of the end of the month.
The move comes as the German airline, one of the largest in Europe, also announced plans to cut 20,000 short-haul flights over the summer as conflict in the Middle East drives up jet fuel prices and has led to fears of shortages.
Lufthansa, the flag carrier airline for Germany, has announced it’ll no longer run its service between Glasgow and Frankfurt, and the last flight between the two cities available to book is on May 31.
A Lufthansa Group spokesman told the Scottish Sun: “Following the decision to discontinue Lufthansa CityLine flights effective immediately and to reduce unprofitable flights in the future due to high kerosene prices, the Lufthansa Group’s summer schedule will be reduced by just under one percent of available seat-kilometers.
“To compensate for this, Lufthansa has taken immediate action and will consolidate the flight schedules of all Lufthansa Group airlines, cancelling 20,000 flights by the end of October. As a result of these decisions, flights to Glasgow will no longer be operated by Lufthansa via Frankfurt, but for the time being, by Edelweiss via Zurich offering access to the Swiss International Air Lines network.”
Lufthansa isn’t the only European airline to cancel flights. Scandinavian airline SAS confirmed it’s cancelling over 1,000 flights after the cost of jet fuel doubled. In the USA, United Airlines announced it would be cancelling 5% of flights in the short term, aiming to restore its full schedule by autumn.
Other airlines are raising prices to try to cover the soaring costs. Virgin Atlantic has said the aviation sector “cannot absorb” jet‑fuel costs at their current levels, forcing them to increase ticket prices.
Corneel Koster, Virgin Atlantic’s chief executive, told the Telegraph: “I was looking at improving our financial results by a really significant chunk. And then this happens. We have never seen jet fuel at these levels, with prices more than doubling. The industry cannot absorb increases like this.”
The airline has added a surcharge of £50 to its economy class tickets, while those in premium economy will need to pay another £180, and business class passengers will be faced with an additional £360 cost. However, the airline says these surcharges still don’t cover the rising costs.
After labour costs, fuel is the second-highest expense for airlines, and accounts for around 27% of its operating expenses. Prices for jet fuel have doubled since the conflict began, rising from $85 to $90 per barrel to $150 to $200 per barrel in recent weeks.
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Trump says Tehran did not make satisfactory offer after Iranian foreign minister travelled to Pakistan to present a framework to mediators to end the war.
Trump later suggests that next talks will be over phone, saying ‘If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!’
Published On 25 Apr 202625 Apr 2026
United States President Donald Trump has announced that his envoys would not be travelling to Pakistan for talks with Iranian officials after Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left the country.
The US president told news outlet Fox News that he had ordered Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to ditch plans to visit the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, for the possible talks, despite his earlier claims that Iran was “making an offer” aimed at resolving the two-month conflict.
“I said, ‘Nope, you’re not making an 18-hour flight to go there. We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you’re not going to be making any more 18-hour flights to sit around talking about nothing,” Trump said.
In any case, Araghchi had already departed Islamabad, the first destination of a three-leg tour including Oman and Russia. Iran’s state-run Press TV confirmed he left on Saturday after meeting Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Posting on X, Araghchi said he had shared “Iran’s position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran” with Pakistani officials. “Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy,” he added.
Later, Trump appeared to say on social media that any future talks would be taking place over the phone. “If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!” he wrote, adding that nobody knew who was in charge in Iran and that there was “tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership’”.
Reporting from Washington, Al Jazeera’s Rosiland Jordan said Trump’s comments suggested that the US did not see “any yielding on the Iranians part”.
She said that his talk of holding “all the cards” appeared to allude to “the US naval blockade, as well as the ongoing presence of more than 50,000 troops in the region, ready to resume combat operations”.
The pressure to strike a deal to permanently end the war has mounted amid an ongoing standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments transit.
Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Saturday that they had no intention of ending their effective blocking of the waterway, which has thrown energy markets into turmoil, according to the news agency AFP.
Asked by US media outlet Axios whether the cancelled trip by his envoys meant a resumption of hostilities, Trump said: “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Araghchi had arrived in Muscat on Saturday for meetings with Omani officials. He is also expected to travel on to Russia to discuss efforts to end the war, which the United States and Israel began against Iran on February 28.
April 25 (UPI) — President Donald Trump has canceled the trip to Islamabad, Pakistan, in which Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were planning to meet with Iranian officials.
“I’ve told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, ‘Nope, you’re not making an 18-hour flight to go there,” Fox News’ White House correspondent Aishah Hasnie reported the president said. “We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you’re not going to be making any more 18-hour flights to sit around talking about nothing.”
The two were scheduled to fly to Pakistan Saturday to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the White House confirmed Friday.
But Iranian state news agency IRNA said that no meeting had been scheduled.
Araghchi landed in Islamabad on Friday night for talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir, Axios reported. A Pakistani official told Axios that the meeting was expected to focus on relaunching negotiations with the Trump administration.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has departed Islamabad and is on his way to Muscat, Oman, CBS News reported.
Earlier this month, Vice President JD Vance traveled with Witkoff and Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran, but the negotiations failed. The war in Iran has continued since the first attack by the United States in late February. The Strait of Hormuz, a key oil corridor, has been closed by Iran and the United States since the war began.