According to Iran’s ISNA news agency, Araghchi was due to convey “Iran’s positions and views on the framework of any understanding to completely end the war” during fresh meetings with Pakistani officials.

The minister had visited Islamabad a day earlier, meeting Army Chief Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar before flying to Muscat, where he met Haitham bin Tariq as regional diplomacy intensified.Other Iranian envoys returned to Tehran for consultations and to obtain instructions related to ending the conflict, ISNA reported.

Before those talks, the White House had said Trump’s peace envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner were preparing to travel to Pakistan for further indirect negotiations.Trump later scrapped the trip, telling Fox News there was no reason to continue “sitting around talking about nothing,” while criticizing Tehran’s negotiating position.

“They gave us a paper that should have been better and interestingly immediately when I canceled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much better,” Trump said, without giving details.Asked whether canceling the trip meant a return to open conflict, Trump said: “No, it doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”Araghchi described his initial Pakistan visit as “very fruitful” but questioned Washington’s seriousness about diplomacy.“

Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy,” he said.Pressure for a diplomatic breakthrough has intensified as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blocked, disrupting one of the world’s most important oil and gas shipping routes and driving energy prices sharply higher.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had no intention of lifting the blockade.“Controlling the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining the shadow of its deterrent effects over America and the White House’s supporters in the region is the definitive strategy of Islamic Iran,” the Guards said on Telegram.

The United States has responded by tightening restrictions on Iranian ports and increasing maritime enforcement actions against vessels linked to Tehran’s energy exports.Iran’s military accused Washington of “blockading, banditry and piracy” and warned that continued pressure would trigger a response.

Regional tensions also escalated on the Lebanese front, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes against Hezbollah targets after accusing the group of violating a ceasefire recently extended for three weeks.

Lebanese state media reported Israeli strikes in several southern districts, while Lebanon’s health ministry said attacks in Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil killed six people.Israel’s military said it had killed multiple Hezbollah operatives, including fighters allegedly transporting weapons.

Although Trump had earlier expressed optimism about peace after meetings with Israeli and Lebanese envoys, Hezbollah parliamentary bloc leader Mohammed Raad urged Lebanon to withdraw from negotiations, warning that any agreement without broader consensus would be politically unsustainable.

Araghchi is expected to travel to Moscow after completing the Islamabad consultations.

Trump said he had ordered envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner not to travel to Islamabad, where mediation efforts had been centered following the arrival of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for talks with Pakistani officials.

Speaking before departing Florida and later in comments to Fox News, Trump said the revised Iranian offer failed to meet U.S. expectations and dismissed the value of sending negotiators for extended talks.“I’ve told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, ‘Nope, you’re not making an 18-hour flight to go there,’” Trump said, according to Fox News.

“We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want.”In a post on Truth Social, Trump added that there was “tremendous infighting and confusion” within Iran’s leadership and said, “Nobody knows who is in charge, including them.”

The cancellation dealt a setback to mediation efforts in Islamabad, where Araghchi had concluded meetings with Pakistani leaders without direct contact with U.S. representatives.

Araghchi described the visit as “very fruitful,” while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Tehran would not accept what he called “imposed negotiations” conducted under threats or blockade.

Iran urged Washington to remove operational restrictions, including measures affecting Iranian ports, while maintaining that it would not accept maximalist demands.“Principally, Iranian side will not accept maximalist demands,” an Iranian diplomatic source in Islamabad told Reuters.

Tensions remain elevated across the region despite a ceasefire currently in force after a conflict that began on Feb. 28 with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Tehran later launched retaliatory strikes against Israel, U.S. military bases and Gulf states, escalating fears of a broader regional war.

The standoff has also disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor, while U.S. restrictions on Iranian oil exports remain in place, pushing energy prices to multi-year highs and adding pressure to global inflation and growth.

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered forces to strike Hezbollah targets in Lebanon “forcefully,” testing a fragile three-week ceasefire and underscoring the broader instability surrounding the negotiations.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said earlier that Washington had seen some progress from Iran in recent days and hoped for further movement over the weekend.Vice President JD Vance, who led an earlier unsuccessful round of indirect talks in Islamabad this month, had also been prepared to travel again if negotiations advanced.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran still had an opportunity to reach an agreement if it made verifiable commitments on its nuclear program.“All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon in meaningful and verifiable ways,” Hegseth said.

Iran’s foreign ministry later confirmed that no direct meeting with U.S. officials had been planned during Araghchi’s visit and said Tehran would instead convey its position through Pakistan as mediator.

A Pakistani source involved in the negotiations said discussions were “on track” for Wednesday, despite earlier indications from Iran that it might not attend. U.S. President Donald Trump could join the talks either in person or virtually if an agreement is reached, the source added.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Pakistan for the переговоры, according to media reports, while Iranian officials said Tehran was “positively reviewing” whether to send a delegation, without confirming participation.

The diplomatic push comes as a two-week ceasefire in the conflict, which began on February 28, nears its end. A Pakistani source said the truce is expected to expire late Wednesday U.S. time.Financial markets reacted to signs of renewed diplomacy, with oil prices falling more than $1 and equities rising in early Asian trading amid expectations that talks could resume.

Brent crude traded near $94 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate fell below $88.Tensions remain elevated, however, following disputes over the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and the recent interception of an Iranian vessel.

Tehran condemned the seizure and warned Washington would bear responsibility for any escalation.Iranian officials also reiterated that they would not negotiate under pressure. Senior figures, including Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused Washington of attempting to force concessions through economic and military pressure.

Washington has said it seeks an agreement that would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons while stabilizing energy markets. Tehran, for its part, is seeking relief from sanctions and an end to hostilities without compromising its nuclear program.

The strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz remains central to the negotiations, as the waterway handles a significant share of global oil and gas shipments and has been affected by restrictions imposed during the conflict.

Pakistan, acting as a mediator, has deployed nearly 20,000 security personnel in Islamabad ahead of the potential talks, underscoring the high stakes and security concerns surrounding the negotiations.

The announcement came a day after talks in Pakistan ended without agreement, underscoring persistent divisions over terms to end a conflict launched on Feb. 28 by the United States and Israel. The blockade is aimed at pressuring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept a broader settlement addressing its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional activities.

Trump indicated that diplomatic channels remain open, saying Iran had reached out to explore a possible resolution. “We’ve been called by the right people … and they want to work a deal,” he told reporters outside the White House.Iran signaled conditional openness to negotiations.

Judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei said discussions must proceed on the basis of “principles and logic,” while other officials warned that Tehran would respond if the situation escalates.The blockade drew sharp reactions from Iran, which threatened countermeasures targeting ports across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, raising the risk that the two-week ceasefire declared earlier could collapse before its April 22 expiry.

At the core of the dispute remain differences over Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes. Its closure has already disrupted markets and driven up oil prices.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation in the recent talks, said Iran had not provided assurances it would refrain from pursuing nuclear weapons capability. Tehran has long denied such intentions while defending its right to civilian nuclear development, including uranium enrichment.

Iran’s negotiating position, articulated by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, emphasized sovereignty over the strait, an end to hostilities, and compensation for wartime damage.

Iranian officials also dismissed the blockade as exaggerated, with parliamentary spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei describing it as “more bluffing than reality.”Pakistan has indicated it may facilitate further dialogue, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressing willingness to host another round of talks, though no timeline has been confirmed.

Both sides have maintained firm public positions, with Trump warning that any Iranian attempt to challenge the blockade would be met with force, while Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the measure risked further destabilizing the global economy.

The announcement came a day after talks in Pakistan ended without agreement, underscoring persistent divisions over terms to end a conflict launched on Feb. 28 by the United States and Israel. The blockade is aimed at pressuring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept a broader settlement addressing its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional activities.

Trump indicated that diplomatic channels remain open, saying Iran had reached out to explore a possible resolution. “We’ve been called by the right people and they want to work a deal,” he told reporters outside the White House.

Iran signaled conditional openness to negotiations. Judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei said discussions must proceed on the basis of “principles and logic,” while other officials warned that Tehran would respond if the situation escalates.

The blockade drew sharp reactions from Iran, which threatened countermeasures targeting ports across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, raising the risk that the two-week ceasefire declared earlier could collapse before its April 22 expiry.

At the core of the dispute remain differences over Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes. Its closure has already disrupted markets and driven up oil prices.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation in the recent talks, said Iran had not provided assurances it would refrain from pursuing nuclear weapons capability. Tehran has long denied such intentions while defending its right to civilian nuclear development, including uranium enrichment.

Iran’s negotiating position, articulated by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, emphasized sovereignty over the strait, an end to hostilities, and compensation for wartime damage.

Iranian officials also dismissed the blockade as exaggerated, with parliamentary spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei describing it as “more bluffing than reality.”
Pakistan has indicated it may facilitate further dialogue, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressing willingness to host another round of talks, though no timeline has been confirmed.

Both sides have maintained firm public positions, with Trump warning that any Iranian attempt to challenge the blockade would be met with force, while Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the measure risked further destabilizing the global economy.

The Liberia-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Serifos and China-flagged VLCCs Cospearl Lake and He Rong Hai transited via a designated passage that bypasses Iran’s Larak Island, according to data from LSEG.

Each vessel has the capacity to carry around 2 million barrels of oil.The Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass, had been effectively blocked by Iran since the outbreak of conflict in late February, contributing to supply disruptions and a sharp rise in oil prices.

Serifos, chartered by Thailand’s state energy firm PTT, is carrying crude loaded from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and is expected to arrive at Malaysia’s Malacca port on April 21, according to LSEG and Kpler data. It is among several vessels for which Malaysia had sought clearance from Iran to transit the strait, sources said.

Cospearl Lake, carrying Iraqi crude, is scheduled to reach Zhoushan port in eastern China on May 1, while the discharge destination for He Rong Hai, which is transporting Saudi oil, remains unclear. Both vessels are chartered by Unipec, the trading arm of Chinese energy major Sinopec.

Shipping data also showed that hundreds of tankers remain stranded in the Gulf awaiting passage during the limited ceasefire window, underscoring continued constraints on maritime traffic.At the same time, three empty tankers Mombasa B, Agios Fanourios I and Shalamar were navigating the strait to enter the Gulf and load crude.

One of them signaled plans to load Basrah oil in Iraq for delivery to Vietnam.Industry sources and companies involved did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The partial resumption of tanker movement highlights the critical role of the Strait of Hormuz in global energy flows and the sensitivity of oil markets to geopolitical developments in the region.