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RUSSIA TODAY REPORT: Tehran has denied that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s trip to Islamabad will include new talks with Washington

 Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a post on X early Saturday morning that “no meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US” during the visit and that Tehran’s views would instead be conveyed to Pakistan.

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Tehran denies new talks with Trump’s envoys

The Iranian foreign minister is on a tour to “coordinate” with partners in Pakistan, Oman, and Russia
Published 25 Apr, 2026 04:04 | Updated 25 Apr, 2026 06:37
Tehran denies new talks with Trump’s envoys
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is welcomed by Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on April 24, 2026 ©  Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Anadolu via Getty Images

Tehran has denied that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s trip to Islamabad will include new talks with Washington, pushing back on reports that US President Donald Trump is dispatching envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan to restart negotiations.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a post on X early Saturday morning that “no meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US” during the visit and that Tehran’s views would instead be conveyed to Pakistan.

Araghchi himself said he was embarking on a “timely tour” of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow in order to “closely coordinate” with partners on bilateral issues and consult on regional developments. Iranian state media said the three-leg trip is part of Tehran’s ongoing diplomatic effort to secure an end to US-Israeli aggression.

The denial came after the White House announced that Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Islamabad for a new round of talks, while Vice President J.D. Vance would remain on “standby” and could still be dispatched if negotiations progress far enough to justify his involvement.

US to ‘shoot and kill’ Iranian mine-laying boats in Strait of Hormuz – TrumpREAD MORE: US to ‘shoot and kill’ Iranian mine-laying boats in Strait of Hormuz – Trump

While Tehran has insisted that no new US talks are on the agenda for this visit, AP reported that the sides could still hold indirect discussions through Pakistani mediation rather than direct face-to-face negotiations.

Washington indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran earlier this week, expecting a “unified” proposal from Tehran while keeping the US blockade of Iranian ports in place. The standoff around the Strait of Hormuz has rattled global markets, pushing Brent crude above $100 per barrel, while Trump has made clear that there is no firm timeline for ending the war.

Iran ready for both talks and war – envoyREAD MORE: Iran ready for both talks and war – envoy

The US president further raised the stakes by saying he had ordered the US Navy to “shoot and kill” any Iranian boats found laying mines in the waterway. Tehran considers the blockade a direct breach of the ceasefire and has argued that any talks are pointless as long as it remains in place.

Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, told RT that Iran is not seeking war but is ready to respond, insisting the country remains open to diplomacy if Washington abandons its bullying. Iranian officials, including Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, have previously accused the US of trying to turn negotiations into “a table of surrender” after failing to achieve victory on the battlefield.

The News Pakistan
14 hours ago
Iranian FM arrives in Islamabad as US confirms Kushner, Witkoff trip to Pakistan
CNN
8 hours ago
Nic Robertson speaks to Anderson Cooper from Islamabad, Pakistan

 

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...Always something going on in Downtown Mesa | Upload from Repulbica Empanada

 

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AZ MIRROR COMMENTARY: Andy Biggs caved on FISA surveillance. Every Arizonan with ties abroad should care.

The GOP congressman voted to reauthorize FISA Section 702 without reforms after years of calling it unconstitutional — a betrayal at the worst possible time

Andy Biggs caved on FISA surveillance. Every Arizonan with ties abroad should care.

By and - April 24, 2026

Section 702 is a controversial program where the government conducts mass collection of Americans’ communications inside the U.S. The ostensible reason is to target communications by and with foreigners outside the U.S., but we know that purely domestic communications get swept in too. And of course, Americans’ privacy rights don’t evaporate when they talk to people abroad.   

These communications are put into databases that the Federal Bureau of Investigation searches — and even reads — without a warrant. There is a long history of this tremendous power and related databases being abused to search for communications of protesters across the political spectrum; members of Congress; a congressional chief of staff; a state court judge; multiple U.S. government officials, journalists, and political commentators; and 19,000 donors to a political campaign.  

For small business owners, contractors, and professionals across the Grand Canyon State, this is not an abstract threat. If you communicate with a supplier overseas, correspond with an international client or conduct any business across borders, those communications can end up in a government database that law enforcement can search without ever obtaining a warrant.  

Arizonans have real reason to want their representatives to stand firm. Privacy in our communications is central to our freedom — Big Brother should not be watching over anyone.  
According to 2024 demographics, over 1 million Arizonans were born overseas. 
  • And almost two million more are American-born Latinos — many of whom, like so many other Americans, likely keep in close contact with loved ones and others who live abroad. 
  • These Arizonans should not lose their constitutionally protected right to privacy in their communications just because of who they communicate with.  

Warrant requirements for domestic surveillance have not always been a partisan issue. They are an American one. But even partisan voters know that, the moment you make surveillance exceptions out of political loyalty to your own party, you’ve handed future administrations — including ones you don’t like — a weapon with no safety. 

U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs at a February 2020 rally for Donald Trump in Phoenix. 
Photo by Gage Skidmore (modified) | Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0

Biggs has been a champion of the Fourth Amendment. In early 2025, he said, “We cannot continue to provide our government with clandestine spying powers that violate the Fourth Amendment rights of American citizens.” 

To that end, he introduced H.R. 7816, the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act of 2026, which would provide many changes to the law, including a requirement that law enforcement get a warrant before querying Americans’ communications collected under FISA Section 702. House leadership denied consideration of his bill. 

Additionally, he tried to offer an amendment to require a warrant for domestic law enforcement use of 702 data. House leadership also denied consideration of his amendment. 

Unfortunately, last week, at the end of a series of votes in the dark of the night and facing enormous pressure from President Donald Trump and Republican House leadership, Biggs voted to reauthorize the surveillance authority with no meaningful changes. 

  1. This is a betrayal of years of vocal support for the cause of privacy just when we need him most.  
  2. But because of the stalwart refusal of others to join him, Congress defeated the long-term reauthorization and kicked the can down the road for a few days. 
We are now operating under a 10-day renewal of the law. By April 30, we need to try again to pass a bill that makes substantial and much needed changes. That means there’s still time for Biggs and others to do the right thing and reform Section 702.  
 
 
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EURONEWS Latest News Bulletin Midday April 25, 2026

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  Because all views matter, Euronews is All Views

 



Tickets for World Cup final in New Jersey appear on FIFA's resale site for €1.9m each | Euronews

  

 

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