Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has ruled out direct negotiations with US officials during his visit to Pakistan's capital Islamabad, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Friday.

The report added that Araghchi will hold talks solely with the Pakistani side on how to end the war with the United States and Israel.

Iran's state-run IRIB TV reported that while Araghchi does not have a plan to meet with the Americans, "Islamabad, as a bridge of communication, will 'convey' Iran's considerations for ending the conflicts."

The Iranian foreign minister's itinerary also includes visits to Oman and Russia.

Commenting on his tour in a Friday post on X, Araghchi said, "Embarking on timely tour of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow. Purpose of my visits is to closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments. Our neighbors are our priority."

On the US side, the White House said Friday that US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are heading to Pakistan for talks with the Iranian foreign minister this weekend. 

US Vice President JD Vance, who led the negotiating team during the first round of talks in Pakistan earlier this month, is not currently planning to attend the upcoming talks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, adding he will be standing by and consulting Trump alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Leavitt reiterated that a peace deal can only be reached if Iran turns over its nuclear material and commits never to build a nuclear weapon.

A conditional two-week ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel was announced on April 8 after 40 days of fighting, followed by lengthy talks between the Iranian and US delegations in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, which failed to lead to a permanent truce.

The two delegations were reportedly expected to hold another round of peace talks in Pakistan this week, but Iran refrained from negotiations citing the continued naval blockade and "excessive" demands by the US as the main reasons.

Amid the negotiation standoff, events on the ground accelerated. 

According to a Tasnim report Friday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) seized a vessel suspected of coordinating with the US military.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the US is ramping up its maritime blockade from the Gulf of Oman to the high seas, with a second aircraft carrier joining in the coming days. 

As part of the pressure campaign, the US Treasury Department also unveiled new Iran-related sanctions on Friday.

Sources also noted that, amid mounting risks of a ceasefire breakdown, the US military is drafting new operational plans, including strikes against Iranian military forces around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, stressed that the country's offensive capabilities remain intact until the very end of the ceasefire period. It emphasized that Iran has only deployed a fraction of its missile capabilities in the conflict, with the majority still reserved and unused.

(With input from Xinhua)