US-Iran peace hopes fade as war nears 2-month mark amid stalemate over talks

With Araghchi set to meet Russian officials in Moscow, diplomacy expands to include Russia in efforts to shape the next steps of the ceasefire and peace talks.

A standoff continues at the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran restricting movement and the United States enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports, contributing to disruptions in energy supplies.

The conflict has killed at least 3,375 people in Iran and at least 2,509 people in Lebanon.

An earlier round of talks in Islamabad, led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, ended without an agreement, mediators said.

U.S. forces removed security equipment and personnel from Pakistan, signaling that an American delegation was unlikely to return for negotiations soon.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Iran would not enter 'imposed negotiations' under threats or blockade, and that Washington must first lift restrictions, including the maritime blockade.

During the weekend trip, Araghchi met Oman’s Sultan Haitham and held talks with counterparts in Qatar and Saudi Arabia to discuss a regional security framework free of external interference.

Araghchi is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as part of widening mediation efforts.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travelled between Pakistan and Oman over the weekend and returned to Islamabad as part of ongoing shuttle diplomacy ahead of a Moscow visit.

In comments to Fox News, Trump said Washington would be open to talks only by phone if Iran advances a better offer, and reiterated that Iran must not possess a nuclear weapon.

Trump cancelled a planned visit by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, citing cost and travel time and saying Iran had offered 'a lot, but not enough' to warrant a trip.

President Donald Trump announced the indefinite extension of the ceasefire last week, maintaining the terms of the April 7 agreement.

The United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on April 7, establishing a framework that largely halted open fighting.

The conflict began on February 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, initiating a two-month war that disrupted regional stability and global energy concerns.