Iran’s top diplomat blamed Washington on Monday for the failure of Middle East peace talks during a visit to Russia, where President Vladimir Putin promised Moscow’s support in bringing the war to a close.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was in Saint Petersburg on the fourth leg of a whirlwind diplomatic tour, having sandwiched a trip to Oman between two visits to the main mediator, Pakistan, over the past few days.

Islamabad played host to the first and only round of unsuccessful talks between Washington and Tehran, and Araghchi’s visit had raised hopes for fresh negotiations over the weekend, until US President Donald Trump scrapped a planned trip by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

“The US approaches caused the previous round of negotiations, despite progress, to fail to reach its goals because of the excessive demands,” Araghchi said on Monday.

After nixing his emissaries’ trip, Trump told Fox News that if Iran wanted talks, “they can call us” — though he has said the cancellation does not signal a return to hostilities.

Following his meeting with Araghchi, Putin voiced his commitment to the two countries’ “strategic relationship”, telling the visiting diplomat: “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.”

In a sign that back-channel diplomatic efforts were ongoing, the Fars news agency said Iran had passed “written messages” to the Americans via Pakistan spelling out red lines, including nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz.

Fars news agency said the messages were not part of formal negotiations, however.

US media outlet Axios — citing a US official and two other sources with knowledge of the matter — reported on Sunday that Iran had sent a new proposal to end the war centred on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending a US naval blockade there, with nuclear negotiations postponed for a later stage.

Iranian state news agency IRNA cited the report without denying it.

Trump was expected to hold a meeting with his top national security advisers on Monday to discuss the stalled talks and how to proceed, Axios and ABC News reported.