Pakistan still seeks to bridge US, Iran gaps

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD/DUBAI, April 27 (Reuters): Work has not halted to bridge gaps between the United States and Iran, sources from mediator Pakistan said, despite the failure of face-to-face diplomacy after President Donald Trump called off a trip by his envoys over the weekend.

Iranian sources disclosed Tehran's latest proposal on Monday, which would set aside discussion of Iran's nuclear programme until the war is ended and disputes over shipping from the Gulf are resolved. That is unlikely to satisfy Washington, which says nuclear issues must be dealt with from the outset.

Hopes of reviving peace efforts have receded since the US president scrapped a visit on Saturday by his envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi shuttled in and out twice over the weekend.

Araqchi also visited Oman over the weekend and went to Russia on Monday, where he met President Vladimir Putin and received words of support from a longstanding ally.

During a meeting in Saint Petersburg, Putin told Araqchi that Moscow would do everything it could to help secure peace in the Middle East.

Araqchi, speaking on arrival in Russia, had blamed Washington for the failure of talks on brokering a deal to end the fighting, with a ceasefire between the sides still holding.

"For our part, we will do everything that serves your interests, the interests of all the people of the region, so that peace can be achieved as soon as possible," Russian state media quoted Putin as telling Araghchi.