Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan are stepping up mediation efforts to bring Iran and the United States back to the negotiating table, though no tangible progress has been achieved so far, according to media reports.
Reports by The Wall Street Journal and Axios, cited by Turkish media, said the foreign ministers of the three countries held separate phone calls with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff, but failed to produce a breakthrough.
Contacts are continuing through regional backchannels and message exchanges. However, Tehran has rejected proposals that would link the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to a temporary ceasefire.
Araghchi has insisted that the exchanges do not amount to negotiations, describing them instead as indirect communication, while maintaining that Iran is seeking a comprehensive end to the conflict.
Behind the scenes, mediators are said to be exploring confidence-building measures aimed at extending the deadline set by Donald Trump and creating conditions for a direct meeting between the two sides.
The crisis is already reverberating across global energy markets, as restricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for oil shipments, continues to disrupt international trade.
Source: CNA