Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was expected in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Friday to discuss proposals for restarting peace talks with the United States, but was not due to meet U.S. negotiators, Pakistani government sources said.
Islamabad was the venue for talks between the U.S. and Iran on ending their war that collapsed earlier this week.
Iranian state media reported that Araqchi was beginning a trip that included visits to Islamabad, Muscat and Moscow. The report made no mention of any direct talks with the U.S.
Two Pakistani government sources aware of the discussions said Araqchi’s visit would be a brief one to discuss Iran’s proposals for talks with the U.S., which mediator Pakistan would then convey to Washington.
There was no direct response from Washington to Araqchi’s trip, but U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking around the same time the news emerged, told a briefing that Iran had a chance to make a “good deal” with the United States.
“Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely … at the negotiating table. All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways,” he said.
(REUTERS)
