Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Saint Petersburg on Monday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to official media reports.
The Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Telegram that Araghchi “arrived early Monday with the aim of meeting Putin and holding talks with him,” at a time when peace negotiations between Iran and the United States remain stalled.
Earlier, Russia’s TASS news agency quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirming that Putin intended to meet Araghchi.
Araghchi said that the latest consultations in Pakistan reviewed the conditions under which talks between Iran and the United States could resume, stressing that Tehran would seek to protect its rights and national interests after weeks of conflict.
He also said that Iran and Oman, as two countries overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, had agreed to continue expert-level consultations to ensure safe passage and protect shared interests in the strategic waterway.
Araghchi had returned on Sunday to Pakistan, which is leading mediation efforts between Tehran and Washington, after traveling to Muscat as part of a regional tour to discuss developments related to negotiations with the United States.
His second visit to Islamabad during the weekend came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump canceled a planned visit by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, amid the lack of a breakthrough to end the war that began with a U.S.-Israeli attack on Tehran on February 28.
However, in a sign that indirect diplomatic efforts are still ongoing, Fars News Agency reported that Iran had sent “written messages” to the Americans through Pakistan, addressing “some of the red lines of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz.”
The agency noted, however, that these messages were not part of any formal negotiations.
Although the ceasefire has remained in place since April 8, the economic consequences of the war continue to be felt around the world.
Differences remain between Iran and the United States on several issues.
Maritime tensions in the Gulf remain a major point of dispute, as Washington maintains a blockade on Iranian ports, while Tehran continues to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies. Iran refuses to negotiate under blockade conditions.
Earlier in April, Islamabad hosted a first round of direct talks under a ceasefire framework between the two sides, but no agreement was reached to end the war.
Trump said on Saturday that Witkoff and Kushner would not travel to Pakistan, stating: “We have all the cards. They (the Iranians) can call us whenever they want, but no more 18-hour trips just to sit and talk about nothing.”
He stressed that canceling the trip did not mean the war would resume, adding that the Iranians “gave us a document that should have been better than it was,” and after the visit was canceled, “they gave us a new, better document,” without providing details.
On Sunday, Trump told Fox News: “I said we’re not doing this anymore. We hold all the cards. If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us—you know, there’s a phone, and we have very good secure lines.”
The U.S. president is facing growing domestic pressure as gasoline prices rise in the United States due to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, while midterm elections are scheduled for November.
Opinion polls indicate that the war does not enjoy strong support among Americans.
“Very Fruitful”
On Saturday, Araghchi met in Pakistan with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Army Chief Asim Munir, who is playing a key role in the mediation. He then returned to Islamabad on Sunday.
Later, Araghchi departed for Russia, according to his ministry, which said he would hold talks with “senior officials.”
Iran’s ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, told ISNA that Araghchi would meet Putin on Monday and would consult Russian officials on the latest developments regarding negotiations, the ceasefire, and surrounding developments.
In a post on X, Araghchi said that talks in Oman focused on ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz “for the benefit of all our dear neighbors and the world.”
He added: “Our neighbors are our priority.”
In an earlier post, Araghchi described his “very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose goodwill and brotherly efforts to restore peace in our region we highly value.”
He added: “I presented Iran’s perspective on a framework to permanently end the war on Iran. We must see whether the United States is truly serious about diplomacy.”
AFP
