Moscow, Apr 28 (PTI) Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that he was pleased to engage with the Russian leadership “as the region is in major flux”, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks aimed at resolving the war in West Asia.
This comes a day after Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg in Russia and met President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty.
“Pleased to engage with Russia at the highest level as the region is in major flux,” said the top Iranian diplomat on the social media platform X on Tuesday.
“Recent events have evidenced the depth and strength of our strategic partnership,” he said, a day after meeting the Russian president, who said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
“As our relationship continues to grow, we are grateful for solidarity and welcome Russia’s support for diplomacy,” the Iranian Foreign Minister added.
Araghchi, upon his arrival on Monday, was received by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to the country, Kazem Jalali.
He arrived in Russia after a whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations” with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Earlier on Monday, Araghchi, in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop “regardless of circumstances.” “We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov also said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were “useful and constructive.” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is “ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties.” “We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities,” Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
Last Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region. PTI SKS AMS AMS
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