FM Dar emphasizes the need for continued dialogue to resolve issues with Araghchi

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday stressed the need for continued dialogue and engagement to resolve ongoing issues during a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.

According to the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on X, Dar stressed the need for continued dialogue and engagement was essential for timely resolution of current issues and to promote peace and stability in the region and beyond.

“Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact and also agreed on a telephone call between the President of Iran and Prime Minister Shehbaz later today,” the statement read.

The development came as US President Donald Trump signaled a new round of talks in Islamabad soon, saying US representatives would travel to the capital for the second round of talks with Iran aimed at resolving the Middle East crisis.

“My representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan – they will be there tomorrow night for negotiations,” President Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said earlier that talks with the United States to end the war had made progress but remained far from a deal as Tehran said the crucial Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports.

In a televised address to the nation on Saturday night, Ghalibaf said the “third forced war” began during negotiations through US deception, adding that previous conflicts had also started with the assassination of the commanders, Tasnim news reported.

He said proposals sent via countries including Pakistan were being reviewed by Iran’s Security Council, and Tehran resisted pressure and warned against escalation. He added that after failing militarily, the US turned to indirect messages, while Iran remained resolute after the ceasefire.

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Tehran’s reversal of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz raised the risk that oil and gas shipments through the strait could remain disrupted, just as Trump considers whether to extend the ceasefire.

When U.S. and Iranian negotiators met last weekend in Islamabad, the U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activity, while Iran proposed a three- to five-year freeze, according to people familiar with the proposals.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said no date had been set for the next round of talks, adding that a framework of understanding must first be agreed.

Trump had said on Friday that there could be talks this weekend and that the two sides were “very close to reaching a deal.”

There were no signs of preparations for new talks on Saturday in the Pakistani capital, where the highest-level talks between the United States and Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution ended without a deal last weekend.