Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Pakistan over the weekend for the second time in less than 48 hours, as uncertainty clouds the next phase of Iran‑US negotiations. The visit came against the backdrop of stalled talks with Washington and heightened regional tensions following the Iran‑Israel conflict.
Araghchi arrived at Rawalpindi's Nur Khan Airbase after completing a day‑long visit to Oman, according to local media reports. The stopover is described as brief, with meetings scheduled with senior Pakistani officials in Islamabad before the Iranian foreign minister departs for Moscow.
Earlier, Araghchi had concluded a separate visit to Pakistan, during which he met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, and other senior civil and military officials. Following those engagements, he travelled to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al‑Said. Discussions in Muscat reportedly focused on regional security, including stability in the Strait of Hormuz, and prospects for ending hostilities involving Iran and the United States.
Araghchi's return to Islamabad appears to be part of a broader diplomatic circuit involving key regional players as Tehran seeks to revive a pathway for dialogue amid escalating geopolitical pressure. Pakistan is seen as a potential intermediary, given its ties with both Iran and global powers.
Get the latest updates on the US-Iran conflict here.
Talks Shadowed by US Decision
Araghchi's renewed Pakistan visit comes a day after US President Donald Trump publicly cancelled the planned travel of senior American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad for discussions with Iranian representatives. In a post on Truth Social, Trump cited internal divisions within Iran's leadership and asserted that Washington holds the upper hand in any future negotiations.
Despite the setback, Araghchi struck an optimistic note. In a post on X, he described his Pakistan visit as “very fruitful” and said Iran had shared a “workable framework” aimed at permanently ending the war involving Iran. However, he added that it remains unclear whether the United States is “truly serious about diplomacy.”
The diplomatic manoeuvring comes as the regional conflict continues to claim lives. Since the war began, thousands have been killed across Iran and Lebanon, with casualties also reported in Israel and Gulf countries, including military personnel and UN peacekeepers. These developments have heightened urgency among regional actors to prevent a wider escalation.
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