Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Islamabad on Sunday following a brief diplomatic stop in Oman, even as U.S. President Donald Trump signaled Tehran could call Washington if it wanted to negotiate. Araghchi’s meetings in Muscat with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi focused on regional security and steps to de‑escalate tensions in the Gulf, especially around the Strait of Hormuz.
His return to Pakistan — seen as a key conduit for indirect contacts between Tehran and Washington — comes after fragile back‑channel efforts lost momentum when Trump canceled a planned visit by senior envoys to Islamabad. The setback interrupted ongoing shuttle diplomacy; Araghchi is expected to travel on to Russia after his Pakistan stop as part of a wider push with regional and global partners to end the conflict that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.
In an interview on Fox News, Trump said the U.S. holds significant leverage and suggested Iranian officials could simply call to open talks rather than send delegations. Tehran, however, has taken a firmer line: President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran will not negotiate under coercion and demanded the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, which Iranian authorities say is strangling the economy and disrupting commercial shipping.
Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani described Araghchi’s multi‑country tour — Pakistan, Oman and Russia — as an effort to advance “lasting peace” and coordinate diplomatic strategy with key partners. Although a ceasefire has paused major offensives, the broader security environment remains fragile: Tehran has sharply restricted transits through the Strait of Hormuz while the U.S. maintains a maritime blockade of Iranian ports. Skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon persist despite a truce, underscoring the risk of renewed escalation.
Pakistan, Oman and other regional actors are attempting to revive indirect negotiations, but several core issues remain unresolved, including sanctions relief, freedom of maritime passage and formal security guarantees. Araghchi’s shuttle diplomacy underscores both the urgency of securing a durable settlement and the sizeable obstacles that continue to complicate any negotiated end to the crisis.
