Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left for Moscow after holding key meetings with Pakistan’s civil and military leadership on Sunday evening.
During his brief stay in Islamabad, Araghchi called on Field Marshal Asim Munir after the Oman visit. He also holds key meetings with Pakistan’s top leadership amid uncertainty over US-Iran talks.
The meetings come as Pakistan continues efforts to put the US-Iran talks back on track following Iranian reluctance and President Trump’s calling off the US envoy’s planned visit.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Abbas Araghchi has left Pakistan and is heading to Moscow. According to the ministry, the trip will include meetings with high-ranking Russian officials, focusing on strengthening Iran–Russia ties along with discussions on key regional and global issues.
Araghchi had made two visits to Pakistan within just a couple of days. Meanwhile, expectations for face-to-face discussions with U.S. representatives have weakened after Donald Trump called off his envoys’ planned visit to Islamabad, later indicating that any potential talks might take place via phone instead.
During his brief stay in Oman, Araghchi held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
During his second trip to Pakistan in two days, the Iranian FM hold key talks with Pakistan’s top leadership.
According to the media reports, Araghchi conveyed “Iran’s positions and views on the framework of any understanding to completely end the war”.
Araghchi had been in Islamabad only the day before, after which he travelled to Oman, while other Iranian envoys had headed back to Tehran “to consult and obtain the necessary instructions on issues related to ending the war”.
Before Saturday’s Iran-Pakistan meetings in Islamabad, the White House had announced that Trump’s peace envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were planning to leave for Pakistan to engage in further negotiations.
But Trump later said he had scrapped the trip, saying there was no point “sitting around talking about nothing”. He dismissed Iran’s negotiating position, but added that it had revised its proposal within minutes of his decision.
“They gave us a paper that should have been better and — interestingly — immediately when I cancelled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much better,” he told reporters, without elaborating.
Asked separately whether halting the trip meant a return to open hostilities, Trump said: “No, it doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”
Later, after a gunman was arrested at the White House Media Gala in Washington, Trump said he did not think the incident was related to Iran but that it would not deter him “from winning the war”.
On Saturday, Araghchi met Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, a key mediator, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, before flying to Muscat.
Araghchi described his initial Pakistan trip as “very fruitful” but signalled scepticism over Washington’s intentions. “Have yet to see if the US is truly serious about diplomacy,” he said. He is expected to go to Moscow after the talks in Islamabad.
Araghchi heads back to Islamabad as Pakistan keeps mediation efforts alive
