Iran's Araghchi briefly returns to Pakistan, Trump says they can call

Key Points:

• Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi made a brief return visit to Islamabad amid efforts by Pakistan's leadership to revive ceasefire talks between Tehran and Washington, though U.S. President Donald Trump suggested phone talks instead of sending envoys.
• The U.S. canceled a planned envoy mission to Pakistan due to lack of progress, but indirect negotiations continue with Pakistan acting as mediator; Trump indicated Iran has since offered a "much better" proposal, emphasizing no nuclear weapons development.
• Central to the talks is the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran seeks to impose tolls on passing vessels and demands an end to the U.S. blockade before further negotiations, while both sides maintain military threats in the strategically critical waterway.
• Despite ongoing conflict and thousands of casualties in Iran, Lebanon, Israel, and the Gulf region, a fragile ceasefire largely holds, with hopes that indirect talks will eventually lead to a peaceful resolution without domestic backlash.
• The war has disrupted global energy shipments and heightened regional tensions, with the U.N. monitoring Iran's uranium enrichment levels close to weapons-grade, underscoring the complexity of achieving a permanent settlement.