Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed with the Sultan of Oman how to achieve safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Araghchi emphasized the need to create a regional security formation by area countries, without US presence. It should be noted that Araghchi departed from Islamabad where he delivered Iranian proposals for ending the Middle East war and traveled to Oman for talks with the emirate’s Sultan. The two discussed the issue of safe ship passage through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as conditions that have developed after the joint US-Israeli attack against Iran on February 28.
According to the schedule, the Iranian Foreign Minister will travel to Tehran to provide a personal briefing on his moves and contacts, then depart for Moscow. According to international analysts, Araghchi’s return to Islamabad and his cooperation with Pakistani mediators after his Oman trip can only be seen as a positive message for continuing negotiations. As Arab media report, Araghchi will have another discussion with the Pakistani Prime Minister on Monday, as well as with the Pakistani army chief, who is considered the main intermediary with the US and the person most trusted and valued by American President Donald Trump.
Araghchi in Oman to discuss Strait of Hormuz – Trump’s stance
It should be noted that American President Donald Trump canceled yesterday Saturday the planned trip to Islamabad of his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law advisor Jared Kushner, removing the prospect of rapprochement between the two sides (US and Iran), at least immediately, while Israel continues its bombardments against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Pakistani capital was the backdrop for US-Iran negotiations two weeks ago and hopes were expressed that they would resume when Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived there last Friday. The White House simultaneously announced the upcoming departure to Pakistan of Messrs. Witkoff and Kushner, which was scheduled for yesterday. But, without waiting for them, the Iranian Foreign Minister completed his Islamabad visit yesterday and Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that he canceled his envoys’ trip, because he didn’t want to force them to spend “15-16 hours” on aircraft for talks that could perfectly well be conducted by phone, according to him.
“If they want to talk, they just need to call me”
When the news website Axios asked him if the cancellation means war will resume immediately, Mr. Trump answered “no. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about that yet,” adding however “we hold all the cards.” Furthermore, the American president repeated his theory about division at the top of Iran’s state apparatus that prevents Tehran from negotiating, in his view. “Nobody knows who’s at the wheel, not even them,” he threw out. “If they want to talk, they just need to call me,” the Republican added. The Middle East war, which erupted with the devastating US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran on February 28, has cost thousands of lives, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and has shaken the global economy, mainly due to Iran’s blockade of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
