Talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad ended Sunday without a deal. US Vice President JD Vance said the two sides spent 21 hours in negotiations but could not reach an agreement.
In a press conference, Vance told reporters the discussions had been substantive but said Iran did not accept the US terms. He said that was “bad news for Iran” more than for the United States.
Vance said that Washington is still waiting for what it sees as a long-term promise from Iran to refrain from developing a nuclear weapon or its rapid production capabilities. He wouldn’t say what the rejected terms were in public, and he left the short news conference without answering any questions about the Strait of Hormuz or whether the breakdown could mean a return to war.
He also said the United States had left the talks with what he described as its final offer. Vance thanked Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir for helping mediate the talks, saying the shortcomings were not on the Pakistani side.
Iranian officials took a harder line after the meeting. Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said on X that the two sides sent and received many messages during a long day of talks about the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, lifting sanctions, and ending the war against Iran and the rest of the region. He said any progress would depend on the other side being serious, acting in good faith, and respecting Iran’s rights and interests.
Iranian parliament speaker MB Ghalibaf, who led Tehran’s delegation, said the American side failed to win Iran’s trust in this round. He said Iran had approached the negotiations with goodwill, but its experience from two previous wars still influenced its stance.
In remarks posted by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the two sides had taken part in intense negotiations over the past 24 hours and urged them to maintain the ceasefire and continue engagement. Pakistan would keep trying to support dialogues, it said.
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