Irans top diplomat visits Russia amid efforts to end conflict

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin. The visit follows earlier meetings with Omani officials in Muscat, as Iran seeks to rally regional and international support for renewed negotiations with the United States.

Araghchi stated that his meeting with Putin will provide an opportunity to discuss developments in the conflict and review the current situation. He expressed confidence that consultations between Tehran and Moscow on regional and international issues would be of particular importance.

The truce between Iran and the US, mediated by Pakistan, has been strained due to disputes over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and a US blockade on Iranian ports. A parallel conflict involving Israel and Lebanon also complicates negotiations.

Russian officials are likely to play a central role in any next phase of the conflict, according to Al Jazeera’s reporting from Tehran. The diplomatic push comes as the US President Donald Trump scrapped plans to send Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad for talks with Iran on Saturday.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that Tehran will not enter negotiations while the blockade remains in place. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that forces were continuing to implement the blockade, preventing vessels from entering or leaving Iranian waters.

Araghchi described discussions in Islamabad as “very productive” and said they included a review of “the specific conditions under which negotiations between Iran and the US could continue.” Pakistani officials remain hopeful that diplomacy can still succeed, with one diplomatic source stating that recent events have served as a catalyst for a permanent end to hostilities.

Source: Al Jazeera