Iran Intensifies Consultations: Tehran Blames Washington and Tel Aviv for Tension, Open to Pakistani Mediation

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conducted an intensive round of calls today, Friday (May 1, 2026), with his counterparts in Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, and Azerbaijan, discussing the repercussions of the accelerating military escalation in the region. In an official statement, Iran's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Araghchi stressed the current instability is "directly caused by American and Israeli aggression." The statement indicated that Iran has entered a new negotiation phase through Pakistani mediation, expressing readiness to engage positively with the diplomatic track despite a lack of trust in the American side, provided Washington steps back from its escalatory rhetoric. This diplomatic move comes amid growing disruptions to Gulf security and maritime trade.