Iran's top diplomat briefly returns to Pakistan but Trump says the sides can talk by phone

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (L) meets with Pakistani Chief of General Staff Asim Munir (R) amid efforts to revive stalled peace talks between the U.S. and Iran to end their eight-week war, in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on April 25, 2026. Anadolu | Anadolu | Iran's foreign minister briefly visited Islamabad again on Sunday as Pakistan's political and military leadership scrambled to reignite ceasefire negotiations between Tehran and Washington, but U.S. President Donald Trump said they could talk by phone instead. Abbas Araghchi had left Pakistan's capital late the previous day, creating confusion around an expected second round of talks there, but he returned before continuing on to Moscow on Sunday, Iranian state media said. He had been in Oman, which previously mediated talks and is on the other side of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The White House last week said it would dispatch envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad to follow up on historic face-to-face talks earlier this month. But shortly after Araghchi's departure Saturday, Trump said he had called off the mission because of a lack of progress with Iran. "If they want, we can talk but we're not sending people," Trump told Fox News on Sunday. He said earlier on social media: "All they have to do is call!!!" Indirect talks between the two sides were ongoing, two Pakistani officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. …