High-stakes negotiations between the United States and Iran ended without an agreement after 21 hours of discussions in Islamabad, highlighting deep divisions over key issues including Tehran’s nuclear programme and regional security concerns.
Speaking after the talks, US Vice President JD Vance said Iran declined to accept Washington’s conditions, describing the outcome as more damaging to Tehran.
“The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America,” Vance said.
He added that Iran chose “not to accept our terms,” stressing that the US is seeking a “fundamental commitment” from Tehran not to develop nuclear weapons or the capacity to produce them.
The negotiations, which were mediated by Pakistan, focused on ending the ongoing conflict and stabilising tensions in the Middle East.
However, disagreements persisted over control of the Strait of Hormuz and the scope of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Despite the deadlock, Vance indicated that diplomatic engagement may continue through remote channels.
On its part, Iran downplayed expectations of a breakthrough, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei saying an immediate deal was never anticipated.
“Naturally, from the beginning, we should not have expected to reach an agreement in a single session. No one had such an expectation,” Baghaei said.
He added that Tehran remains confident that engagements with Pakistan and other regional allies will continue, although Iranian officials withheld specific details of the contentious issues discussed.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, urged both sides to sustain the fragile ceasefire and pursue lasting peace.
“On behalf of Pakistan, I would like to express gratitude to the two sides for appreciating Pakistan’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire and its mediator role,” Dar said.
“We hope that the two sides continue with a positive spirit to achieve durable peace and prosperity for the entire region and beyond.”
The stalled talks come amid an ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, which began on February 28 and has since led to over 2,000 deaths, alongside significant destruction of both military and civilian infrastructure.
The war erupted despite earlier diplomatic efforts that had suggested a potential agreement was within reach, underscoring the complexity of resolving long-standing disputes between the parties.