Live updates: Follow the latest news on Iran war
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Russia. He is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior officials in St Petersburg for talks on the impasse with the US and Israel.
Iran's top diplomat will meet senior Russian officials to discuss co-ordination over the conflict, Iranian state media reported.
Moscow is an important ally for Tehran, standing by it since the war began on February 28. Russia backed Iran by blocking a UN resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Mr Araghchi's visit concludes a busy tour that included two stops in Islamabad, one in Muscat, and multiple calls with Arab officials, as Tehran pursues regional diplomacy rather than direct engagement with the US.
On Sunday, Mr Araghchi spoke to Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, who stressed the need for all parties to “engage constructively with continuing mediation efforts”. He urged a shift towards dialogue and peaceful solutions that “address the root causes of the crisis and lead to a sustainable agreement, not just a temporary pause in hostilities”.
Mr Araghchi also underscored the importance of keeping maritime corridors open and spoke to his Saudi and Egyptian counterparts.
He left Islamabad on Saturday. After a visit to Oman, Mr Araghchi returned to Pakistan, where he held talks with Pakistani officials, indicating the discussions were positive.
“The trip to Islamabad was a very good trip and good consultations were held, during which a review was made of what had happened and under what conditions the negotiations between Iran and the United States could continue,” Mr Araghchi said upon landing in Russia.
With diplomacy deadlocked, Iran has reportedly presented the US with a new proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz and end the war. Nuclear discussions would come at a later stage, a US official and two sources familiar with the discussions said.
Mr Araghchi's trip to Moscow is taking place on the same day that US President Donald Trump is expected to convene a Situation Room meeting with senior national security and foreign policy officials in Washington to assess current events and consider possible next steps, Axios reported.
Mr Trump has signalled little appetite for easing pressure. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, he indicated that he wants to maintain a US naval blockade that has curtailed Iran’s oil exports, in the hope that sustained economic strain could force Tehran to concede within weeks.
“When you have vast amounts of oil … and for any reason that line is closed … that line explodes from within,” Mr Trump said, suggesting Iran’s leadership could face severe internal pressure if exports remain blocked.
At the same time, he invited Iran to take part in direct talks. “If they want to talk, they can come to us or they can call us,” he said.
In a further signal that no talks are set to take place in Islamabad, traffic restrictions have been lifted at the hotel used for the first round of negotiations.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country would “continue our efforts for peace in the region”.
