Iran's Foreign Minister Returns to Pakistan

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived back in Islamabad on Sunday, according to Iranian state media and multiple reports. This followed his departure from Pakistan's capital late Saturday, which had raised questions about the continuation of ceasefire talks between Iran and the United States.

Pakistani officials are actively trying to reignite the negotiations, with Araghchi expected to hold further consultations before proceeding to Moscow. The White House had announced on Friday that it would send envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad.

However, President Trump stated on Sunday that he had called off the mission due to insufficient progress. and Iran, agreed upon on April 7, has been indefinitely extended by Trump. It largely halted fighting that began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28.

The war has resulted in thousands of deaths and significant global economic disruptions, particularly due to restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz. A standoff persists at the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil flows in peacetime.

Iran has restricted movement there, while the U.S. enforces a blockade of Iranian ports. Iranian officials seek to end the U.S. blockade before new talks, and mediators are working to bridge gaps between the two sides. >"If the U.S. A regional official involved in mediation efforts stated that Iran's response from Oman was not immediately clear.

Araghchi also spoke by phone with counterparts in Qatar and Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Talks are expected to be indirect, with Pakistani officials acting as go-betweens, reflecting Iran's caution after previous indirect negotiations ended in attacks. Two Pakistani officials, speaking anonymously, did not specify when U.S. representatives might return to the region.

President Trump mentioned on Saturday that Iran had sent a "much better" proposal shortly after he canceled the U.S. envoys' trip. " The U.N. nuclear watchdog reports that Iran has 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, close to weapons-grade levels.

Since the war began, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran, 2,509 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Additionally, 15 Israeli soldiers, 13 U.S. service members, and six U.N. peacekeepers have died. A separate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been extended by three weeks.

The economic fallout includes disruptions to global shipments of oil, liquefied natural gas, fertilizer, and other supplies due to the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides continue to issue military threats, with Trump ordering the military to "shoot and kill" small boats suspected of placing mines.

Syed Mohammad Ali, an independent political analyst in Pakistan, stated that the delay should not be viewed as a setback. He noted that indirect talks are progressing and that the ceasefire is holding, with both sides desiring an end to the conflict without domestic backlash.

com) Pakistani mediators, including the army chief and the prime minister, met with the Iranian team before their Saturday departure and are expected to speak with Araghchi again. Araghchi's return comes amid reports of his planned consultations in Moscow with Russian officials.

The conflict has shaken the global economy, with ongoing restrictions in vital shipping routes. Mediators in Pakistan are racing to facilitate a permanent settlement, as the fragile truce prevents further escalation but leaves key issues unresolved.