Abbas Araghchi met Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir [Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Handout /Anadolu via Getty Images]
Iran has said that there won’t be direct talks with the US in Pakistan this weekend, despite the arrival of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Islamabad on Friday and a US delegation headed by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner set to travel there on Saturday.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on X that “no meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US,” adding that “Iran’s observations would be conveyed to Pakistan,” suggesting negotiations would be indirect.
According to Pakistani sources speaking to Reuters on Friday, the talks would see Araghchi convey Iran’s proposals, which will then be relayed to the US.
Araghchi met his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, at the Serena Hotel, where a previous round of talks was held with the US two weeks ago. He also met Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir.
Araghchi is also set to visit Oman and Russia for discussions on regional developments.
The visit comes as US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and special envoy Steve Witkoff are due to travel to Islamabad, with renewed hopes for a settlement as a standoff in the Strait of Hormuz continues.
Trump told Reuters on Friday that Iran was “making an offer and we’ll have to see”, though he said he was unsure what Iran’s offer would be.
Trump added that a removal of a US blockade on Iran would be determined by what Iran offers in its proposal.
The US has sought for Iran to give up its enriched uranium and end its nuclear programme, alongside ending its ballistic missile programme and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, while the US and Israel say it is attempting to develop nuclear weapons.
The lockdown of the strait, where 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquified natural gas transits through, has severely affected the global economy and has been labelled by the International Energy Agency as the largest energy crisis in history.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, told Iran that it has a chance to make a “good deal”, adding “Iran knows that they still have an open window to choose wisely.”
The US has threatened to renew strikes against both military and civilian targets in Iran, including energy facilities, with Israel also issuing threats to strike infrastructure.
