Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Pakistan’s Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran on Friday in renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at exploring proposals to end the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war, Iranian state-linked media reported.
The meeting comes as Tehran and Washington remain deeply divided over Iran’s uranium enrichment programme and proposed controls over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route through which a significant share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas once passed before the war.
According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency and ISNA, Naqvi—who has been acting as a diplomatic intermediary—held follow-up discussions with Araghchi just two days after delivering Washington’s latest message in the negotiations.
ISNA reported that Naqvi was facilitating communication efforts “to try and achieve a framework for ending the war and resolving differences.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a cautiously optimistic tone on Thursday, telling reporters there had been “some good signs” in the negotiations, though he warned that progress could collapse if Iran insists on imposing a toll system in the Strait of Hormuz.
“There’s some good signs. I don’t want to be overly optimistic … So, let’s see what happens over the next few days,” Rubio said.
Rubio added that any attempt by Tehran to restrict or monetise passage through the Strait would undermine the talks entirely.
“It would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible if they were to continue to pursue that. So it’s a threat to the world if they were trying to do that, and it’s completely illegal,” he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump also weighed in on the negotiations, reiterating Washington’s position that Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile must be secured by the United States, which believes it could be used for weapons development—an allegation Tehran denies.
“We will get it. We don’t need it, we don’t want it. We’ll probably destroy it after we get it, but we’re not going to let them have it,” Trump said at the White House on Thursday.
Trump also criticised Iran’s reported plan to impose charges on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We want it open, we want it free. We don’t want tolls. It’s an international waterway,” he said.
However, Iranian officials have pushed back against U.S. demands. Two senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had issued a directive stating that the uranium stockpile should not be transferred abroad.
Tehran’s latest proposal reportedly reiterates earlier positions rejected by Washington, including demands for greater control over the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief, compensation for war damage, release of frozen assets, and withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Thursday that while gaps in negotiations had narrowed, major disagreements remain over uranium enrichment and maritime access through the Strait.
The prolonged conflict has continued to destabilise global markets. Oil prices have surged amid supply concerns, fuelling fears of broader inflationary pressures worldwide.
Before the war began on 28 February, roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic has now reportedly fallen to a fraction of normal levels.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) described the situation as the world’s worst energy shock, warning that the combination of peak summer demand and reduced Middle East supply could push markets into the “red zone” in July and August.
Financial markets have reacted accordingly, with the U.S. dollar trading near a six-week high as investors weighed uncertainty over the peace process. Oil prices also rose on Friday amid doubts over whether a breakthrough is imminent.
“We’re coming to the end of week 12, we’re six weeks in the ceasefire, and I’m just not really that convinced we’re any closer to a resolution between the U.S. and Iran,” said Tony Sycamore, market analyst at IG.
Despite ongoing diplomatic engagement, key strategic objectives remain unresolved. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have repeatedly stated that their objectives include curbing Iran’s support for regional militias, dismantling its nuclear programme, and weakening its missile capabilities.
However, Iran is still believed to retain significant stockpiles of near-weapons-grade uranium and maintains regional influence through missile capabilities, drone technology, and allied militia groups.
As negotiations continue, both sides remain entrenched, with the Strait of Hormuz and uranium enrichment emerging as the central fault lines in what remains a fragile and highly consequential diplomatic process.
Boluwatife Enome
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