Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Islamabad on Sunday after a brief diplomatic stop in Oman, even as US President Donald Trump said Iran could call if it wanted to negotiate an end to the war. Araghchi’s Muscat visit included high-level talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, focusing on regional security and ways to de-escalate tensions in the Gulf, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz.
His return to Pakistan — viewed as a key intermediary in indirect contacts between Tehran and Washington — comes after fragile diplomatic efforts stalled when Trump cancelled a planned visit by senior envoys to Islamabad, halting momentum in backchannel negotiations. The Iranian minister is expected to proceed to Russia after his Pakistan stopover as part of a broader diplomatic push involving regional and global stakeholders to end the conflict that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.
In an interview on Fox News, Trump said US and Iranian officials could talk by phone rather than sending a delegation on a long flight: “We have all the cards. If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us,” he said. Tehran, however, has hardened its stance. President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted Iran will not negotiate under pressure and demanded the lifting of the US naval blockade, which Tehran says is choking its economy and disrupting maritime activity.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani described Araghchi’s multi-nation tour — Pakistan, Oman and Russia — as aimed at promoting “lasting peace” and coordinating diplomatic efforts with key partners. Despite a ceasefire that paused large-scale hostilities, the broader situation remains volatile: Iran has significantly restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz while the US enforces a maritime blockade on Iranian ports. Exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon continue despite a truce, underscoring the fragile ceasefire and the risk of renewed escalation.
Pakistan, Oman and other regional actors are trying to revive indirect negotiations, but major sticking points — sanctions relief, maritime access and security guarantees — remain unresolved. Araghchi’s shuttle diplomacy highlights both the urgency of securing a durable settlement and the difficulties involved.
