Iranian president conveys assessment of talks with US in phone call with Putin

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday conveyed an assessment of US-Iran talks held in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad a day prior, during a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, a Kremlin statement said.

The two presidents discussed the latest developments in the Middle East, the statement noted.

“The Iranian president assessed the US-Iran talks held in Islamabad on April 11 and expressed gratitude for Russia's principled position, including on international platforms, aimed at de-escalating the situation,” it added.

Pezeshkian also thanked Russia for the humanitarian aid it has provided, the statement said, noting that Putin, for his part, emphasized his readiness to continue to facilitate the search for a diplomatic settlement and to mediate “in the interests of establishing a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

“To this end, Russia will continue active contacts with all partners in the region,” it said, adding that the phone call also included a discussion on bilateral cooperation, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties.

The phone call comes as high-stakes negotiations between Iranian and US delegations in Islamabad on Saturday failed to produce an agreement.

The talks were part of broader efforts to end the US-Israeli offensive on Iran that killed more than 3,300 people since Feb. 28, before a fragile two-week ceasefire was brokered earlier this week.

Since the start of the offensive, Iran has also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit for oil and gas shipments.