Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived today, Monday, in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, coming from Islamabad, amid persistent efforts by mediators to revive peace negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
On Sunday, Araqchi returned to Pakistan, which is at the forefront of mediation efforts between Tehran and Washington, after a visit to Muscat as part of a tour during which he presented the latest developments related to the talks with the United States.
His second visit to Islamabad came over the weekend, after US President Donald Trump canceled a visit that was supposed to be carried out by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, due to the lack of any progress in ending the war that broke out on February 28.
In reference to the continuation of indirect efforts, Fars Agency reported that Iran had conveyed “written messages” to the Americans via Pakistan, including “some red lines for the Islamic Republic of Iran, including nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz,” clarifying that these messages are not part of any negotiations.
For its part, the official Iranian news agency “IRNA” reported that Araqchi “arrived at dawn on Monday with the aim of meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and holding talks with him.”
In turn, the Iranian ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, confirmed that Araqchi will meet with Putin during his visit, indicating that this meeting falls within “continuing the diplomatic effort in defense of the country’s interests and in light of external threats.”
Jalali pointed out that the Iranian Foreign Minister will hold consultations with Russian officials about the latest developments in the negotiations, the ceasefire, and the surrounding developments, and will submit a detailed report on these talks, considering that Iran and Russia represent a “united front” in the face of what he described as “globally dominant powers.”
It should be noted that relations between Moscow and Tehran have witnessed remarkable development in recent years, in light of the severe Western sanctions that the two countries face.
On the other hand, the Kremlin confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet the Iranian Foreign Minister on Monday, as Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, in response to a question from TASS: “Yes.”
