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ABC News

Iran live updates: Witkoff, Kushner to travel to Islamabad Saturday for peace talks

PHOTO: Hoardings are mounted on lamp posts, as Pakistan prepares to host the United States and Iran for a possible second phase of peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 20, 2026.
1:31
Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
Trump says he has no 'time pressure' on deal with Iran
By David Brennan, Emily Shapiro, Leah Sarnoff, Nadine El-Bawab, Meredith Deliso, Jon Haworth
Last Updated: April 24, 2026, 5:33 PM

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan earlier this month failed to reach a peace deal. On Tuesday, Trump announced he was extending the ceasefire and continuing the blockade until Iran's proposal is submitted and discussions are concluded "one way or the other."

Key Headlines

  • Witkoff, Kushner to travel to Islamabad Saturday for peace talks
  • Iranian foreign minister heading to Pakistan, Oman, Russia
  • Navy fired 9 disabling shots at seized ship, Caine says
  • Hegseth says 2nd aircraft carrier will join blockade in 'a few days'
  • Hegseth says 'blockade is growing and going global'
Here's how the news is developing.

Apr 24, 2026 5:33 PM

Witkoff, Kushner to travel to Islamabad Saturday for peace talks

President ‌Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday for another round of peace talks with Iranian officials, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.

PHOTO: Hoardings are mounted on lamp posts, as Pakistan prepares to host the United States and Iran for a possible second phase of peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 20, 2026.
Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
Hoardings are mounted on lamp posts, as Pakistan prepares to host the United States and Iran for a possible second phase of peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 20, 2026.
Akhtar Soomro/Reuters


They will "engage in talks, direct talks inter-mediated by the Pakistanis, who have been incredible friends and mediators throughout this entire process, with representatives from the Iranian delegation," she said Friday. "The Iranians reached out as the president called on them to do, and asked for this in-person conversation. So the president is dispatching Steve and Jared to go hear what they have to say."

Leavitt said Vice President JD Vance will not be going but said he "remains deeply involved in this entire process, and he'll be standing by here in the United States, along with the president and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the entire national security team for updates."

When asked whether the administration had any indication that the Iranians were closer to coming to a deal, Leavitt only said "we'll see," adding that it was part of the reason for the trip by Witkoff and Kushner.

Despite the president’s rhetoric threatening to bomb Iran and his past claims that he does not need a deal, Leavitt said the U.S. has “transitioned” into a “diplomatic phase” in order to secure a deal.

-ABC News’ Nicholas Kerr, Emily Chang and Michelle Stoddart


Apr 24, 2026 3:43 PM

Iranian foreign minister heading to Pakistan, Oman, Russia

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media that he's visiting Islamabad, Pakistan, Muscat, Oman, and Moscow, Russia "to closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments."


Apr 24, 2026 12:42 PM

Navy fired 9 disabling shots at seized ship, Caine says

Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted that U.S. forces are ready to continue striking Iran if President Donald Trump issues the order.

Caine described how the U.S. seized the Iranian-flagged ship Touska, which he said tried to evade the blockade. Caine said the U.S. fired five warning shots and ultimately nine disabling shots at the ship.

PHOTO: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks during a briefing on the Iran war, amid a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, April 24, 2026.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks during a briefing on the Iran war, amid a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, April 24, 2026.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters


“American forces began to issue several clear and unambiguous warnings and informed the vessel and its crew that they were in violation of the U.S. blockade and directed the ship to turn around,” Caine said. “Over a six-hour period, the vessel and her crew repeatedly ignored U.S. warnings, and then the U.S. Navy destroyer executed a series of pre-planned, carefully calibrated escalation options, including firing five warning shots. The vessel and her crew continued to ignore warnings, and after exhausting all other measures, CENTCOM authorized disabling fire against the Touska.”

“U.S. sailors warned the crew to abandon the engine room, and at approximately 9 a.m. Eastern Time, the destroyer disabled the Touska’s engine by firing nine inert rounds … precisely into the engine room,” Caine said.

The vessel “went dead in the water and began to comply with U.S. directions and orders,” he said, and “CENTCOM ordered United States marines to seize the ship via helicopters.”

-ABC News’ Steven Beynon, Christopher Boccia and Luis Martinez



Apr 24, 2026 12:29 PM

Hegseth says 2nd aircraft carrier will join blockade in 'a few days'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that a second aircraft carrier will be joining the blockade in "a few days" and that just this week, the United States seized "two Iranian dark fleet ships in the Indo-Pacific region that had left Iranian ports before the blockade went into effect."

PHOTO: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine listens during a press briefing at the Pentagon, April 24, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine listens during a press briefing at the Pentagon, April 24, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images


"They thought they'd made it out just in time. They did not," Hegseth said during a press conference on Friday morning. "We seized their sanctioned ships, and we will seize more."

"President Trump's fortitude is unshakable and his mission is crystal clear," Hegseth continued. "President Trump said it again yesterday. We have all the time in the world, and we're not anxious for a deal."


Apr 23, 2026 9:44 PM

Trump says Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by 3 weeks

Israel and Lebanon will extend their ceasefire by three weeks, President Donald Trump announced on social media.

"I look forward in the near future to hosting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun,” Trump wrote.

This comes after a second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon took place at the White House on Thursday.

Exactly one week ago, Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

-ABC News' Emily Chang


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