Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was back in Pakistan on Sunday, a diplomatic source told, a day after he left Islamabad for a visit to Oman as part of a tri-nation tour.
He is undertaking the trip against the backdrop of ongoing diplomatic efforts, notably by Pakistan, to bring Tehran and Washington to the table to talks aimed at ending the conflict that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
Araghchi arrived at the Nur Khan air base in Rawalpindi after completing a day-long visit to Oman, the diplomatic source said, adding that he would meet with senior Pakistani officials during his short stay in Islamabad.
The Iranian foreign minister will then depart for Moscow, he added.
Earlier in Oman, Araghchi met with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and briefed him “on the Iranian side’s perspectives” regarding the regional developments and the peace efforts, Oman’s foreign ministry said in a statement on X.
Araghchi “listened to His Majesty’s views on ways to advance these efforts in a manner that enhances opportunities for reaching sustainable political solutions and limits the repercussions of crises on the peoples of the region”, the statement said.
It added that the sultan affirmed the importance of prioritising the language of dialogue and diplomacy in addressing issues, in a way that contributed to consolidating the foundations of peace.
Araghchi earlier arrived in Islamabad on Friday night and handed over Tehran’s response to US proposals for ending the war during meetings with Pakistan’s civil and military leadership before leaving for Oman on Saturday.
He departed for Muscat after a day of intensive consultations, reportedly aboard a Gulfstream G600 owned by the Pakistan military. Neither the Pakistani military nor the Iranian officials confirmed or denied this. This suggested Pakistani facilitation of his regional tour to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
A Pakistani source involved in the process said the Iranian side had delivered both its proposals and its perspective on the American proposals. Sources said Iran emphasised its terms while indicating readiness to remain engaged in shaping a future diplomatic course.
No details of the proposals were made public.
Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump on Sunday again commended Pakistan’s efforts for peace talks, stating that he has “great respect for Pakistan” and that it has been “terrific”.
“Great respect for Pakistan, but I will, because they’ve been terrific. They’ve really tried, and they’ll stay involved,” he said in an interview on Fox News.
Trump said that Iran could reach out to the US if it wanted to negotiate an end to the war between the two countries.
“If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us. You know, there is a telephone. We have nice, secure lines, but we’re not sending people to travel 18 hours to meet,” he said.
Trump also referred to nuclear-related issues as part of any potential negotiations, saying, “But again, they know what has to be in the agreement, very simple. They cannot have a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, there’s no reason to meet.”