Pakistan races to save negotiations between US and Iran
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan’s capital late Saturday but is expected to return to Islamabad on Sunday before continuing to Moscow, Iranian state media said. He had previously been to Oman, which acts as a mediator between the countries and is located on the other side of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Two Pakistani officials said the leaders were waiting for Araghchi. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the efforts, did not say when Americans could return to the region.
The White House announced Friday that it will send envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad for the second round of talks. But shortly after Araghchi’s departure was reported, Trump said he was canceling the mission due to a lack of progress with Iran. “They can call us whenever they want,” he said.
Trump last week indefinitely extended the ceasefire that the United States and Iran agreed to on April 7, which largely halted the fighting that began with joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on February 28. But a permanent solution to the war that has killed thousands of people and shaken the global economy remains elusive.
The Strait of Hormuz is at the center of Iran discussions in Oman
A standoff continues in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global waterway, as Iran restricts movement through the strait and the United States blockades Iranian ports.
Iran wants to persuade Oman to support a mechanism that would collect transit fees from ships passing through the strait, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil passes in peacetime, according to a regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter. The official involved in the mediation efforts said Iran insists on ending the US blockade before a new round of talks and Pakistan-led mediators are trying to bridge significant gaps between the countries.
He added that Araghchi’s talks in Oman focused on issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
Oman’s reaction was not immediately clear. Araghchi also spoke by phone with his counterparts in Qatar and Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
Even before Saturday’s developments, Iran’s foreign ministry had said any talks would be indirect and Pakistani officials would act as mediators; This reflects Tehran’s cautious stance following indirect talks last year and earlier this year that resulted in Iran being attacked by the US and Israel.
Trump says Iran offered ‘much better’ offer
The economic fallout is compounded two months into the war, as global shipments of oil, liquefied natural gas, fertilizer and other materials are disrupted by the near-closing of the Strait of Hormuz.
Both sides continued to make military threats. Iran’s joint military command warned on Saturday that it would face a “strong response” if the “US continues its aggressive military actions, including naval blockades, banditry and piracy.” Last week, Trump ordered the military to “shoot and kill” small boats that could plant mines.
Trump told reporters ahead of a security incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday that Iran sent a “much better” offer within 10 minutes of Witkoff and Kushner canceling their trip to Islamabad.
He did not give details, but emphasized that one of the conditions was that Iran “do not have nuclear weapons”. The status of Iran’s enriched uranium has long been at the center of tensions. According to the UN nuclear watchdog, Tehran has 440 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% purity; it’s a short, technical step up from weapons-grade levels.
Syed Mohammad Ali, an independent political analyst in Pakistan, said the delay in talks should not be seen as a setback and indirect talks were progressing. He said tensions between Washington and Tehran cannot be eased overnight and the negotiation process requires patience.
“But the good thing is that the ceasefire continues and both sides have the desire to end the conflict in a way that does not backfire on their countries,” Ali said. he said.
Death toll rises even as fragile ceasefires persist
At least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran since the beginning of the war, and at least 2,496 people have been killed in Lebanon, where the Israel-Hezbollah conflict resumed two days after the start of the Iran war.
Additionally, 23 people were killed in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab countries. 15 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, 13 US soldiers in the region and 6 UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon were killed.
Another ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant Hezbollah group was also extended by three weeks. Hezbollah did not participate in diplomacy mediated by Washington.
