The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran’s official state news agency, said Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar held a telephone conversation to discuss the latest regional developments, including the ceasefire situation and bilateral relations.
In a post on X, earlier Twitter, IRNA said: “Foreign Minister @araghchi and his Indian counterpart @DrSJaishankar discussed latest developments related to ceasefire, bilateral relations and regional and international developments in a telephone conversation.
The conversation comes amid continued diplomatic activity in West Asia following heightened tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel. Efforts to stabilize the fragile ceasefire situation have continued in recent weeks.
India maintains diplomatic contact
India maintains regular contact with Iranian leaders amid the ongoing crisis. Jaishankar and Araghchi spoke in recent months as tensions escalated in West Asia. Previous talks between the two leaders have focused on regional security, bilateral cooperation and diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation.
India has repeatedly emphasized the need for dialogue, restraint and peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region while monitoring the impact of instability on energy security.
Iran is actively working with Pakistan, Oman and Russia as discussions continue on ceasefire agreements and regional security issues.
Uncertainty over US-Iran peace talks
The development comes at a time of uncertainty surrounding a possible second round of peace talks between Washington and Tehran.
The first round of negotiations, held on April 11 and 12, reportedly did not yield a breakthrough.
Araghchi traveled to Pakistan before arriving in Russia and described his meetings there as “very productive”, including consultations with Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir.
He also visited Oman where he discussed security in the Strait of Hormuz with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
Uncertainty surrounds the next round of US-Iran peace talks
There is fresh uncertainty over the future of peace talks between the United States and Iran after the first round of talks earlier this month failed to produce a breakthrough, even as diplomatic activity continues to intensify across the region.
The initial round of talks, held on April 11 and 12, reportedly did not produce the outcome both sides had hoped for, leaving the way forward unclear due to lingering tensions over the wider conflict in the Persian Gulf region.
Araghchi strengthens regional diplomacy
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi continued a series of diplomatic visits – to Russia – aimed at building support and discussing ceasefire efforts.
Araghchi traveled to Pakistan for the second time on Sunday after a brief stopover in Oman where he met Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.
According to Iranian officials, the discussions in Oman focused on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic initiatives aimed at ending the ongoing Iran-US conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most strategically important waterways in the world, providing a significant share of global oil supplies.
Trump halted meeting plan in Islamabad
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman, US President Donald Trump announced that senior US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer travel to Islamabad for talks with Iranian officials.
Trump claimed that Washington currently “holds all the cards” in negotiations with Tehran.
Despite the suspension of the meeting in Islamabad, Trump indicated that diplomacy remained possible, saying that US and Iranian officials could still communicate directly by phone to reach a peaceful solution.
Armistice extended indefinitely
Last Tuesday, Trump announced an indefinite extension of the temporary truce with Iran, just hours before the original two-week truce was set to expire.
According to US officials, the extension was intended to give Tehran additional time to prepare what Washington described as a “unified proposal” aimed at ending the conflict.
The extension of the ceasefire temporarily eased fears of an immediate return to full-scale fighting in the Persian Gulf region, although tensions remain high.
The conflict is spreading across the Persian Gulf region
The war began on February 28, when the United States and Israel jointly launched strikes against Iran.
Iranian authorities said the attacks killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several senior military commanders.
Iran responded with retaliatory military action that spread the conflict across parts of the Persian Gulf region and raised international concerns about regional stability, energy security and global oil supplies.
Trump says Iran is in ‘state of collapse’
Meanwhile, Trump claimed on Tuesday that Iran had privately asked for US help in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“Iran has just informed us that they are in a ‘state of collapse’.” They want us to ‘open up the Strait of Hormuz’ as soon as they try to figure out their leadership,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The remarks came amid reports that Iran had proposed ending restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz if the United States lifted the blockade and stopped the war.
However, in an interview with Fox News, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled opposition to any deal that would exclude Iran’s nuclear program from negotiations.
The White House is reviewing the new proposal
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that a new proposal to end the conflict and reopen the strategically important waterway was discussed by Trump and his national security team.
“The proposal has been discussed,” Leavitt told reporters.
“I wouldn’t say they’re considering it. I’d just say there was a discussion this morning that I don’t want to get ahead of.”
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, with a significant share of global energy supplies passing through the narrow waterway.
Read also | Donald Trump warns Iran to ‘smarten up soon’
