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ArAghchi heADS to MoScow AFter ‘SeconD iSlAMAbAD Stop’ AS peAce puSh gAinS pAce Monday, 27 April, 2026 | 9 Dhul-Qadah, 1447
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IRANIAN FM MAKES SECOND PAKISTAN VISIT IN TWO DAYS AFTER MUSCAT CONSULTATIONS AS DIPLOMATIC MOMENTUM BUILDS TO AVERT WIDER REGIONAL ESCALATION
TEHRAN’S REGIONAL SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY INTENSIFIES AMID EFFORTS TO END US-IRAN WAR IRAN SAYS LATEST CONSULTATIONS UNRELATED TO NUCLEAR NEGOTIATIONS
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ISLAMABAD/TEHRAN
STAFF REPOR / AGENCIES
RANIAN Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi departed for Moscow on Sunday after a brief stop in Pakistan, his second visit to Islamabad in as many days following a trip to Muscat as part of his three-nation diplomatic tour, as US President Donald Trump said Iran could reach out if it wanted to negotiate an end to the war in the Middle East. FM Araghchi’s regional shuttle diplomacy comes amid intensified efforts — notably involving Pakistan — to bring Tehran and Washington back to the negotiating table in a bid to end the conflict triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Diplomatic sources said Araghchi arrived at Nur Khan Airbase after completing a day-long visit to Muscat, where he held consultations as part of Tehran’s broader regional diplomatic outreach. During his brief stay in Islamabad, the Iranian foreign minister was expected to meet senior Pakistani officials before departing for Moscow for further consultations, the sources said. In a late-night post on X, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, confirmed the conclusion of Araghchi’s second round of talks in Pakistan. He thanked the government, mili-
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tary and people of Pakistan, particularly Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, for what he described as “tireless efforts” and a “good office initiative” aimed at ending the war and restoring lasting peace in the region. Moghadam said, like the previous round, the latest visit was conducted in a secure and stable environment, praising Pakistan’s planning, coordination and hospitality. Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that Araghchi’s latest discussions with Pakistani officials would include key regional security issues, including a proposed new legal framework governing the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for wartime losses, guarantees against renewed military aggression, and the lifting of the naval blockade imposed on Iran. According to Tasnim News Agency, the talks are unrelated to Iran’s nuclear programme and are focused solely on warrelated diplomatic and strategic matters. In Washington, Trump said Iran remained free to initiate contact if it wanted to negotiate. Speaking in Florida after cancelling a planned envoy-level visit, Trump said the Iranian offer made through diplomatic channels was “a lot, but not enough,” signalling that Washington remained unconvinced by Tehran’s latest position. An earlier round of talks in Islam-
TALKS IN ISLAMABAD FOCUS ON STRAIT OF HORMUZ, BLOCKADE AND WARTIME COMPENSATION
FM ArAghchi, cDF Munir conFer on enDing uS-irAn wAr ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday held talks with Pakistani military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in Islamabad, Iranian state media reported, as regional and international efforts to bring an end to the escalating US–Iran conflict gained momentum. “Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met with Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir,” the state-run IRNA news agency said on X. The development comes a day after US President Donald Trump cancelled a planned visit to Pakistan by envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for peace talks with Iran following the departure of the Iranian delegation from
abad — led by Vice President JD Vance for the US side and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — ended without any breakthrough. Following the cancellation of the latest diplomatic engagement, two Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft carrying US security personnel, equipment and vehicles used for official protection departed Pakistan on Sunday, according to two Pakistani government sources. The back-to-back diplomatic move-
President Zardari pushes deeper industrial, tech cooperation during China visit g
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PRESIDENT VISITS SANY HEAVY INDUSTRY IN CHANGSHA AS ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY GAINS PACE ISLAMABAD
SALEEM JADOON
President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday underscored the importance of expanding industrial and technological cooperation with China during visits to major industrial and agroprocessing facilities in Changsha, as part of his week-long tour focused on strengthening bilateral economic and trade ties. President Zardari arrived in China on Saturday for a weeklong visit to the provinces of Hunan Province and Hainan Province for engagements aimed at enhancing economic and trade cooperation. He will remain in Changsha until Monday before travelling to Sanya from April 28 to May 1, said a statement issued by the Foreign Office. On Sunday, the president visited Sany Heavy Industry in Changsha, where Sany Group Chairman Tang Xiuguo briefed him on the company’s advanced manufacturing systems, product portfolio and continued investments in research and development (R&D), said a statement issued from the Presi-
dent’s Office. Sany Group manufactures a broad range of industrial products, including construction and mining equipment, port machinery, oil drilling machinery and renewable wind energy systems. According to a post on X by the Presidency, the visit focused on “smart manufacturing” and technology transfer in construction and clean energy, with an emphasis on modernising Pakistan’s infrastructure through global partnerships. President Zardari appreciated the scale, sophistication and technological depth of Sany’s manufacturing ecosystem, according to a statement issued by the President Secretariat’s Media Wing. He stressed the need to strengthen cooperation in industrial technology, skill development and joint ventures, saying such partnerships could play a vital role in supporting Pakistan’s infrastructure development and industrial expansion. The president also highlighted the potential for collaboration in construction machinery, digital manufacturing, clean energy and en-
gineering solutions. During the visit, President Zardari was given a detailed briefing on Sany’s operations, including its core business segments of concrete machinery, excavators, cranes, piling equipment and road machinery. He toured the company’s flagship No. 18 Factory, a digitally integrated manufacturing facility recognised for advanced automation and data-driven production systems. The president was briefed on the factory’s intelligent operational systems, high automation rate and its role as a benchmark for modern industrial manufacturing. He noted the scale of technological integration and said such advanced systems held significant relevance for countries seeking to modernise industrial production and improve operational efficiency. President Zardari was also informed about the company’s financial and operational performance, including its 2024 operating revenue of $11.27 billion, product segmentation and sustained investment in innovation and R&D.
dinner in Washington, US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Sunday. The incident occurred at the Washington Hilton — the same hotel where Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in a 1981 assassination attempt — adding to the gravity of the situation at a venue long associated
the report, the attacker was armed with a shotgun and fired at a Secret Service agent, bringing the annual media gathering to an abrupt halt as guests took cover. Multiple US news outlets identified the suspect as 31year-old Cole Tomas Allen. Trump later told a press conference that the man was acting as a lone wolf. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a post on X that he was deeply shocked by the incident.
with high-level political gatherings. Over the years, the hotel has also hosted Pakistani leaders, including Pervez Musharraf, Benazir Bhutto, and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. As the sound of shots rang out in the ballroom hosting the dinner, gala attendees, including members of the press, their family members, and government officials immediately fell silent, CNN reported. It was only when security charged into the room, and people started screaming, “Get down, get down!”, that guests dove under tables to take cover. The suspect — who was armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives, according to CNN — had charged a checkpoint at the hotel, opening fire at a Secret Service agent, before being tackled and arrested. Secret Service Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the shooting took place near the main screening area at the entrance of the event.
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Trump, administration likely targets of shooting at White House dinner: US official WASHINGTON, DC AGENCIES
United States President Donald Trump and officials in his administration were the likely targets of a suspect who fired at a security agent guarding the White House Correspondents’ Association
worlD leADerS conDeMn Shooting At white houSe correSponDentS’ Dinner WASHINGTON AGENCIES
Leaders from Pakistan and several other countries condemned a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington late on Saturday, after a gunman opened fire at the hotel hosting the event and prompted the evacuation of United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. According to officials cited in
'great respect for pakistan': trump again praises islamabad for peace efforts
Says Iran can reach out to US if it wants to negotiate an end to war between two countries WASHINGTON, DC AGENCIES
Islamabad on Saturday. The Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left Islamabad after holding high-level meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. US envoy on Middle East Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner were expected to depart for Pakistan later in the day for talks involving Iranian interlocutors.
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ments underscore the fluid regional situation as efforts to revive dialogue and prevent further escalation continue. VISIT TO OMAN AND MEETING WITH SULTAN Earlier in Oman, Araghchi met with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and briefed him “on the Iranian side’s perspectives” regarding the regional developments and the peace efforts, Oman’s foreign ministry said in a statement on X.
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United States President Donald Trump on Sunday again commended Pakistan’s efforts for peace talks, stating that he has “great respect for Pakistan” and that it has been “terrific”. “Great respect for Pakistan, but I will, because they’ve been terrific. They’ve really tried, and they’ll stay involved,” he said in an interview on Fox News. Trump said that Iran could reach out to the US if it wanted to negotiate an end to the war between the two countries. "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, but we're not sending people to travel 18 hours to meet," he said. Trump also referred to nuclear-related issues as part of any potential negotiations, saying, "But again, they know what has to be in the agreement, very simple. They cannot have a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, there's no reason to meet." Trump cancelled a trip by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan on Saturday, dealing a new setback to peace prospects after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi departed Islamabad after speaking only to Pakistani officials. This is not the first time Trump has praised Pakistan and its leadership for brokering a ceasefire and supporting peace efforts between the two countries. A day earlier, Trump once again praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for their efforts to facilitate peace and negotiations with Iran, despite another pause in the diplomatic process.
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