Iran Foreign Minister to Meet Putin as US Blamed for Stalled Peace Talks

As diplomacy faltered and tensions in the Gulf remained high, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Russia on Monday blaming the United States for the collapse of peace talks in Pakistan ahead of a planned meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

The previous round of negotiations had made progress but ultimately failed because of “excessive demands” from Washington, Mr Araghchi said, according to Iranian state media. “The US approaches caused the previous round of negotiations, despite progress, to fail to reach its goals because of the excessive demands,” he was quoted as saying.

He also stressed that “safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is an important global issue”, as the US and Iran maintain competing blockades in the strategic waterway.

Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, said in a post on X that Mr Araghchi was due to meet Mr Putin “in continuation of the diplomatic jihad to advance the country’s interests and amid external threats”.

US President Donald Trump, for his part, said Iran could make contact if it wanted to negotiate an end to the two-month war, which began when the US and Israel started bombing Iran in February.

Prospects for renewed diplomacy dimmed on Saturday after Mr Trump cancelled a planned visit to Islamabad by his envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Mr Araghchi spent yesterday travelling between mediators in Pakistan and Oman before departing for Russia, with the two sides still appearing deeply divided over issues including Iran’s nuclear ambitions and access through the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Financial markets reflected the unease. Oil prices climbed and US stock futures slipped in early Asian trading after US-Iran peace efforts stalled over the weekend, leaving Gulf shipping disrupted.

“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,” Mr Trump said.

“They know what has to be in the agreement. It’s very simple: They cannot have a nuclear weapon; otherwise, there’s no reason to meet,” he added.

Iran has for years insisted the US must recognise its right to enrich uranium, saying the programme is intended only for peaceful purposes. Western powers, however, argue Tehran’s nuclear activity is aimed at developing nuclear weapons.

While a ceasefire has halted full-scale combat for now, the broader conflict remains unresolved. No deal has been struck to end a war that has killed thousands, pushed oil prices higher, added to inflationary pressure and cast a shadow over global growth.