April 25, 2026
Iran’s government said direct talks with US envoys in Islamabad were not on the table as diplomatic activity continued around a fragile ceasefire that has paused full-scale fighting for roughly two months.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan’s capital on Friday and met Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, with Pakistan’s interior minister and national security adviser also present. Tehran said Araghchi would relay Iran’s observations to Pakistani hosts and would not meet the US delegation directly. US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were expected to travel to Islamabad to engage with Pakistani interlocutors and, indirectly, with Iranian representatives. The White House said it had seen “some progress” from Iran and hoped talks would move toward a deal.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry and state media reiterated that direct negotiations with US officials were not an option, even as Pakistan pressed for a second round of negotiations after a 21-hour first session led by US Vice President JD Vance produced no breakthrough.
Meanwhile, Iran’s military condemned what it called “banditry” and “piracy” by the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, warning that maintaining the blockade would draw a response from Iran’s armed forces. The military’s central command Khatam Al-Anbiya said forces were monitoring enemy movements and were “ready and determined.”
Iran’s Defense Ministry also said the country still retained a substantial missile inventory and that domestic arms production continued, including missiles and drones. Independent verification is not available, and US officials have argued Iranian missile supplies and production sites have been degraded during the conflict.
Turkey indicated it would consider participating in mine-clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz if the US and Iran reached a peace deal, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said. Ankara said it would avoid being seen as a party to renewed fighting and envisaged possible arrangements to restore toll-free passage through the strait if a deal ended the conflict.
Commercial life in Iran showed limited signs of normalization: for the first time since the war began, flights resumed from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport to destinations including Istanbul, Muscat and Medina. Iran had partially reopened its airspace earlier in April during a ceasefire mediated by Pakistan.
In Tehran’s messaging, a Defense Ministry spokesperson said the US was seeking a “face-saving” exit from the war, describing Iran’s military power as dominant and accusing the US of looking for ways to escape a “war quagmire.” Iranian state media reiterated opposition to direct US-Iran talks while diplomatic channels via Pakistan continued.
Separately, Iran said it had executed a man accused of working for Israel’s intelligence service and taking part in vandalism and violence during mass anti-government protests in January. Semi-official Tasnim named the individual as Erfan Kiani. The judiciary said Kiani was hanged after his sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court; authorities accused him of arson, use of Molotov cocktails, carrying a bladed weapon and other crimes. The execution is among several carried out in recent weeks on charges linked to the protests.
Germany’s defense minister said Berlin would deploy a minesweeper and a command and supply ship to the Mediterranean as part of preparations for a possible role in securing the Strait of Hormuz, pending a sustained ceasefire, an international legal mandate and parliamentary approval. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said Germany would be ready to contribute to a multinational mission, particularly in mine clearance and maritime reconnaissance.
On the economic and sanctions front, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on a China-based independent “teapot” refinery, Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian), accusing it of buying billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil and helping sustain Tehran’s oil economy. The US also designated around 40 shipping firms and vessels it described as part of Iran’s “shadow fleet.” China opposes unilateral US sanctions.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaled there would likely be no further renewals of a temporary waiver that permitted purchases of Russian oil at sea. Washington had extended a waiver to help vulnerable countries after disruptions tied to the Strait of Hormuz, but Bessent said another extension was unlikely. He also indicated no extension for waivers on Iranian supplies amid the US naval embargo, warning that Iran might soon be forced to shutter production facilities if the blockade continued.
European Union leaders reacted skeptically to German proposals to gradually ease sanctions on Iran in return for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa stressed that Iran must deescalate, end nuclear threats and halt domestic repression before sanctions relief could be considered.
In the Gulf, a Kuwaiti court acquitted US-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin of charges after nearly two months of detention related to social media posts about the Iran-US war. He left Kuwait following his release. The arrests in the region have been part of broader crackdowns on media and social media content tied to the conflict.
The ceasefire mediated by Pakistan since April 8 remains in place, but obstacles to a comprehensive agreement persist: the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively impeded by the threat of Iranian attacks and by US measures against Iran-aligned shipping; both sides offer conflicting accounts of whether direct US-Iran talks will take place in Islamabad; and wider international concerns—over Iran’s nuclear program, its domestic human rights record and the overall regional security context—complicate any quick resolution.
As diplomatic activity continues in Islamabad and beyond, Pakistan is attempting to shepherd indirect negotiations while avoiding being drawn into the conflict. Observers say progress will depend on concrete steps to secure maritime routes, clarity on sanctions relief, and assurances that any agreement addresses the core security and political concerns of the parties involved.