Iran Foreign Minister Araghchi returns to Pak amid stalled peace talks; Trump says US call away

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Islamabad on Sunday after a brief but significant 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 visit to Muscat included high-level talks with 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 strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

His return to Pakistan — seen as a key intermediary in indirect contacts between Tehran and Washington — comes at a time when fragile diplomatic efforts have stalled. US President Donald Trump has cancelled a planned visit by senior envoys to Islamabad, effectively 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.

Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials could talk over phone for a solution to the conflict. In an interview on Fox News, Trump said he made that decision rather than send a delegation on a 17-hour flight. “We have all the cards. If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us,” Trump said.

Tehran, meanwhile, has hardened its stance, with President Masoud Pezeshkian asserting that Iran will not negotiate under pressure and demanding the lifting of the US naval blockade, which continues to choke its economy and disrupt maritime activity.

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said Araghchi’s multi-nation tour, covering Pakistan, Oman and Russia, was aimed at promoting “lasting peace” and coordinating diplomatic efforts with key partners.

Despite a ceasefire that has paused large-scale hostilities, the broader conflict remains volatile. Iran has nearly shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor, while the US continues to enforce a maritime blockade on Iranian ports.

Regional tensions persist beyond the Gulf, with continued exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon even after a truce, underscoring the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the risk of renewed escalation.

Pakistan, Oman and other regional actors are attempting to revive indirect negotiations, but major sticking points, including sanctions relief, maritime access and security guarantees, remain unresolved. With diplomatic channels under strain, Araghchi’s shuttle diplomacy underscores the urgency and the difficulty of securing a durable settlement.