Araghchi Meets Putin in Moscow as Iran Floats Hormuz Plan

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi flew to Moscow on Monday, April 27, 2026, for talks with President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, after a second visit to Islamabad on Sunday. The trip pivots Tehran's diplomacy toward Russia and mediator-led channels following the collapse of a US envoy track on Saturday.

Hormuz-First Proposal via Mediators

According to Axios, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera, Iran has delivered a new proposal through Pakistani mediators: reopen the Strait of Hormuz first, postpone nuclear talks until the United States lifts its naval blockade, and extend the existing ceasefire to allow longer-term settlement work. The US wants Iran to suspend uranium enrichment for at least 10 years and remove enriched uranium from the country.

Tehran's ambassador to Moscow said the Araghchi-Putin agenda would focus on "coordinating interactions and advancing joint programs at the regional and international levels," covering Hormuz, the US blockade and the path to a ceasefire.

Trump Says Tehran Can Call

President Donald Trump told Fox News' "The Sunday Briefing" on April 26 that Washington remained available but would not chase a deal. "If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us. You know, there is a telephone. We have nice, secure lines," Trump said.

A White House spokesperson responded to Iran's mediator proposal by saying the United States "will only make a deal that puts the American people first." No commitment to engage was signaled.

Blockade Pressure Mounts

The US Central Command said the two-week-old blockade had prevented 38 ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports as of early Monday. Brent crude traded at $108.11, up 2.64 percent on the day. Araghchi met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir in Islamabad before traveling to Russia, completing a regional shuttle that has run Islamabad to Oman and back, then to Moscow.