Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in St. Petersburg for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for April 27. This visit comes as diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Iran, mediated by Pakistan, face significant challenges.
According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Araghchi will engage with senior Russian officials to discuss bilateral relations and address regional and international issues. Earlier, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, confirmed the meeting with Putin, emphasizing the importance of coordination between the two nations.
Jalali stated, “Coordinating interactions and advancing joint programs at regional and international levels is a critical agenda for this trip. Iran and Russia stand united against the totalitarian forces of the world that oppose independent and just countries, as well as nations seeking a world free from unilateralism and Western dominance.”
On April 11, trilateral talks took place in Islamabad involving the U.S. and Iran, but no agreement was reached regarding a long-term ceasefire. The Iranian Foreign Ministry cited disagreements over a few key issues as the primary obstacle.
Following these discussions, President Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stating that U.S. naval forces would intercept any vessels that paid fees to Iran for passage through the strait. He warned that any Iranian military attacks on U.S. ships would be met with severe retaliation.
In response, Iran declared it would restore strict control over the Strait of Hormuz as a countermeasure to the U.S. blockade. On April 20, Trump indicated that the likelihood of extending a two-week ceasefire was low unless an agreement was reached by the April 22 deadline.
On the evening of April 21, Trump announced a delay in military action against Iran, attributing the decision to a request from Pakistan’s Prime Minister and citing internal divisions within the Iranian government. He stated that the ceasefire would continue until a unified Iranian proposal was presented, while U.S. forces would maintain their maritime blockade.
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported that Trump had unilaterally extended the ceasefire, while Iran rejected the U.S. conditions for negotiations. Earlier, the Iranian news agency Tasnim indicated that Iran’s negotiating team informed the U.S. that they would not attend the Islamabad talks, seeing no prospects for fruitful discussions.
Mehdi Mohammadi, an advisor to the Iranian parliament speaker, remarked on social media that Trump’s extension of the ceasefire was meaningless, asserting that a losing party cannot dictate terms. He suggested that this move was an attempt by Trump to buy time for a surprise attack, equating the blockade to bombardments that would warrant a military response from Iran.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as U.S.-Iran negotiations stall. The discussions reflect ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. military's recent actions in the region.
Source: ТАСС