Tehran [Iran], April 25 (ANI): The Head of the national security commission of the Iranian parliament, Ebrahim Azizi, said that their Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has traveled to Pakistan to discuss bilateral relations only.

Azizi said that nuclear negotiations remain Iran's red line, and will not be under discussion in Pakistan.

In a post on X, he said, 'In the meeting with foreign journalists, I mentioned that Mr. Araghchi, our country's Minister of Foreign Affairs, has traveled to Pakistan to discuss bilateral relations. He has no mission whatsoever in this trip regarding nuclear negotiations, which are considered one of Iran's fundamental red lines.'

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The statement revealed a contrast to what White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier in the day.

Leavitt was asked who's in charge, and which faction is leading Iran as US Special Envoy Witkoff and US President Donald Trump's Son-in-Law Jared Kushner are set to travel to Islamabad on April 25.

'The president was flexible in granting an extension of the ceasefire throughout this time. The president has decided to dispatch Special Envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner back to Islamabad. The Iranians want to talk. They want to talk in person, and so the president is, as I've said many, many times to all of you, always willing to give diplomacy a chance. So Steve and Jared will be heading to Pakistan tomorrow to hear the Iranians out,' she replied.

'We hope progress will be made, and we hope that positive developments will come from this meeting. And we will see. And the president, the vice president, the secretary of state will be waiting here in the United States for updates. And the vice president, I understand, is on standby and will be willing to dispatch to Pakistan if we feel it's a necessary use of his time. We've certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side in the last couple of days. Again, the president has made the decision to send Steve and Jared to hear the Iranians out, and so we'll see what they have to say this week,' she added.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran Esmail Baghaei said that no meeting between Iran and the United States is scheduled, and Araghchi is consulting with Pakistani officials regarding the mediation efforts to end the imposed war by the United States and Israel and to establish peace in the region.

'We arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan, for an official visit. FM Araghchi will be meeting with Pakistani high-level officials in concert with their ongoing mediation & good offices for ending American imposed war of aggression and the restitution of peace in our region. No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the U.S. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan,' he said in a post on X.

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A new assessment by the US-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), has revealed that Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi and his 'inner circle' have 'repeatedly blocked attempts' by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and other 'pragmatist' officials to push the Iranian regime toward a 'more flexible negotiating position.'

The report of a fractured leadership in Tehran follows the Iranian government public messaging of unity on Friday. Iran's leadership posted a picture of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian Parliament Speaker MB Ghalibaf, and Head of the Judiciary of Iran, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei and said that the nation is united despite the claims made by the US suggesting otherwise.

This internal shift comes as Iran and the United States send delegations to meet with Pakistani mediators in Islamabad. (ANI)