ISLAMABAD: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday that Tehran was looking into United States President Donald Trump’s request for negotiations, according to a post on the minister’s Telegram account.
He told reporters in Russia that Trump requested negotiations because the US has not achieved any of its objectives.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the country would “do what it can” to achieve regional peace as he met Araghchi.
The Iranian top diplomat is currently on a visit to Russia amid a deadline in peace talks with the United States following a temporary ceasefire.
Putin met FM Araghchi in St Petersburg. Iran’s Press TV quoted him as saying that he received a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
“Russia will do what it can to support the interests of Iran and other regional countries and help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible. I hope Iranian people overcome this difficult period and that peace is restored,” the outlet quoted him as saying.
FM Araghchi said his people had bravely resisted US aggression and would continue to do so.
“Iran and Russia have a strategic partnership and will continue to strengthen their cooperation,” he said.
Russian FM Sergei Lavrov, presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, and Admiral Igor Kostyukov, chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, also attended the meeting.
On the Iranian side, the delegation included Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi and Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali.
