Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is greeted by officials on his visit to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin in this screenshot from a video released on April 27, 2026 [Handout/Abbas Araghchi/Telegram via Reuters]By Usaid SiddiquiPublished On 27 Apr 202627 Apr 2026
Iran has stepped up diplomatic efforts to end the war with the United States, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shuttling between Pakistan and Oman on Sunday before flying to Russia on Monday.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wanted to negotiate an end to the two-month US-Israel war on Iran after scrapping a visit to Islamabad by his representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The two main sticking points are the issues of Iran’s nuclear programme and access to the crucial Strait of Hormuz, which remains under de facto Iranian blockade.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have escalated attacks against Lebanon, killing at least 14 people on Sunday despite a US-brokered ceasefire.
