Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday, according to Russian state media. The meeting comes as diplomatic efforts between the United States and Tehran to end the ongoing conflict remain stalled.
Russia's foreign ministry had previously confirmed that Araghchi would travel to Moscow for talks, as cited by AFP. 'We confirm a visit by Araghchi to Russia with the aim of holding talks,' the ministry told RIA Novosti news agency.
Iran's ISNA news agency quoted Tehran's ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, as saying that Araghchi would meet Putin to 'consult with Russian officials regarding the latest status of the negotiations, ceasefire, and surrounding developments.' In a separate statement, Iran's foreign ministry said Araghchi had already departed Islamabad for Russia on Sunday. His visit follows a brief stop in the Pakistani capital, his second in less than 24 hours, after earlier travelling to Oman, as mediators worked to sustain momentum in peace talks with the United States aimed at ending the conflict that began on February 28.
Despite a ceasefire taking effect more than two weeks ago in the US-Israeli war with Iran, there has been no second round of direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Hopes for a second round of talks in Pakistan had centred on a planned visit by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, but Trump cancelled the trip, dismissing it as 'sitting around talking about nothing.' On Sunday, Trump told Fox News that if Iran wanted the talks, 'they can come to us, or they can call us.'
Pressure to end the war has intensified with the Strait of Hormuz still closed, after Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had no intention of lifting the blockade, a move that has unsettled global energy markets. 'Controlling the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining the shadow of its deterrent effects over America and the White House's supporters in the region is the definitive strategy of Islamic Iran,' the Guards said on their official Telegram channel. In response, the United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
