Iran FM Araghchi to visit Pakistan for talks on peace efforts

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Pakistan on Friday evening for talks with Pakistani officials involved in mediation efforts with the United States, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA and other reports.

Pakistani security sources told dpa that he would be working on a counter-proposal as part of the negotiations with the U.S.

Araghchi said in a social media post that the purpose of his upcoming tour to Islamabad, Pakistan; Muscat, Oman; and Moscow is to “closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments.”

Araghchi’s comments didn’t address any possible resumption of talks with the U.S., but Pakistani officials have been intensifying efforts in recent weeks to get the U.S. and Iran to a second round of cease-fire negotiations.

He would meet Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir, but there were no plans for Araghchi to meet any U.S. representatives, they said.

Following meetings in Pakistan, Araghchi is due to travel on to Oman and Moscow for further consultations on the conflict with the U.S. and Israel, IRNA reported.

It comes after Araghchi spoke on the phone with Pakistani mediators earlier on Friday, according to state media, amid persisting uncertainty about whether efforts to secure a peace deal between Tehran and Washington are making progress.

Araghchi spoke separately with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and army chief Asim Munir to discuss “regional developments and topics related to the ceasefire,” IRNA reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally extended the cease-fire with Iran on Tuesday, without giving a clear timeline on when it would expire.

Washington has signalled it is ready to hold a new round of talks with Iranian negotiators, after a historic direct meeting between the two sides held earlier this month failed to produce results.

Iran, however, has so far rejected holding a second round of talks, amid persisting tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and other key issues.

Trump on Thursday declared a three-week extension of the cease-fire in Lebanon, another sticking point in the negotiations with Iran, but both Israel and Lebanon continued to report violations on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army urged residents of the southern Lebanese village of Deir Amas – from where Hezbollah had fired missiles – to flee the area.

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated again in the wake of the Iran war. The Lebanese government is not an active party to the war and is seeking de-escalation.

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