Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Saint Petersburg on Monday, April 27th for talks with President Vladimir Putin. Peace efforts between Tehran and Washington again hang in the balance, following a flurry of regional diplomacy and the collapse of planned talks in Pakistan.
Araqchi traveled between Pakistan and Oman before heading to Russia, with mediators pushing to keep talks alive. Iran’s envoy to Russia, Kazem Jalali, said in an X post that Araqchi would meet Putin
in continuation of the diplomatic jihad to advance the country’s interests and amid external threats.
Saturday, April 25th saw U.S. president Donald Trump scrap a planned visit to Islamabad by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, citing travel and expense concerns and calling Iran’s offer insufficient.
Iran sent “written messages” to the United States via Pakistan outlining red lines, including nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz, according to Fars news agency, though these were not part of formal negotiations. Axios reported Iran proposed reopening the strait and ending the war, with nuclear talks postponed.
A truce in the war has held up, but no agreement has been reached. Iran has sealed off the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting flows of oil, gas and fertilizer, while the United States imposed a blockade of Iranian ports.Trump said Iran could “come to us, or they can call us,” adding that Tehran must not obtain a nuclear weapon. Iran insists sanctions and blockades be lifted before negotiations.
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