Trump says Iran has 'no cards' ahead of high-stakes Islamabad talks

US President Donald Trump on Friday (April 10) declared that Iran has "no cards" going into upcoming peace talks with Washington, pointing to Tehran's temporary leverage over the strategic Strait of Hormuz as its only bargaining chip.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, "The Iranians don't seem to realise they have no cards, other than a short-term extortion of the world by using international waterways." He added, "The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate."

Trump also criticised Tehran's handling of the vital waterway, saying Iran was doing a "very poor job" in allowing oil shipments through the strait, adding, "That is not the agreement we have." In a separate post, he took aim at Iran's media strategy, saying the country was "better at handling the Fake News Media and public relations than fighting."

The remarks come ahead of crucial US-Iran talks scheduled in Islamabad, Pakistan, where the Strait of Hormuz is expected to dominate discussions. The narrow waterway handles nearly one-fifth of global crude oil shipments, making it a key geopolitical flashpoint.

Although both sides agreed to reopen the channel following a ceasefire earlier this week, shipping traffic remains limited amid continued tensions and uncertainty over Iran's commitments.

Also Read: ‘US loading warships’: Trump warns of renewed strikes if Iran does not comply in peace talks

Trump's "no cards" remark echoes a similar comment he directed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this year during a heated exchange over Ukraine's position in its conflict with Russia, underscoring his preferred negotiating posture of projecting dominance ahead of high-stakes diplomacy.

The talks in Islamabad follow a fragile ceasefire reached on April 7, ending around 39 days of intense conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, a war that sent oil prices surging past $100 a barrel and dealt a severe blow to regional economies and global growth prospects. US Vice President JD Vance has departed for Pakistan to lead the American delegation, alongside Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

However, the negotiations open in a deeply uncertain environment. Both sides remain suspicious of each other, and key aspects of the ceasefire continue to be contested, including a halt to Israel's bombing campaign in Lebanon. Several media reports indicate Tehran has threatened to pull out of the talks if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue.

Adding to the uncertainty, conflicting interpretations of the ceasefire terms have clouded the diplomatic atmosphere. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly posted on X that the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon was part of the deal, a post that, according to media reports, was shared with the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office by Washington itself. Both Israel and the White House have since contested that characterisation, deepening the confusion ahead of the first round of talks scheduled for Saturday morning, local time.