Iran would welcome Russia as mediator in US peace talks

WorldPolitics
1 Apr 2026 • 11:09 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Iran has said it would welcome Russia as a mediator to help resolve the conflict with the United States and Israel, according to Russia's state‑run TASS news agency citing Iran's envoy to Moscow, Kazem Jalali.
  • Pakistan had most recently taken a lead on negotiations after Gulf countries who had led peace talks prior to the outbreak of war were forced to rebuff Iranian attacks on their territory instead.
  • President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has asked for a ceasefire but threatened to “blast them into oblivion or the Stone Ages” until the Strait of Hormuz is opened.
  • In a post on Truth Social, the US president claimed that the “new regime president” who was “much less radicalized” than his predecessor had requested both sides stop hostilities to strike a peace agreement.
  • Tehran has not commented on the claims and continues to deny that negotiations are taking place; Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that no negotiations were ongoing with Washington.

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