U.S.-Iran Talks In Pakistan End Without Deal After 21-Hour Negotiations
High-stakes face-to-face negotiations between the United States and Iran ended without a breakthrough on Sunday, as U.S. Vice President JD Vance announced that the American delegation was returning home without an agreement.
The talks, hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad and described as the first direct high-level U.S.-Iran discussions in decades, lasted approximately 21 hours.
They aimed to build on a fragile temporary ceasefire in the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, address Iran’s nuclear program, and discuss regional security issues, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to reporters in a brief press conference before departing on Air Force Two, Vance said: “We have been at it now for 21 hours… We have not reached an agreement. Iran chose not to accept our terms.”
He described the U.S. position as having presented a “final and best offer,” adding that halting Iran’s nuclear capabilities was a core goal that was not achieved.
Vance noted that the outcome was “bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America,” while leaving open the possibility of future talks based on the proposal left behind for “mutual understanding.”
The U.S. delegation, led by Vance and including President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, held intensive sessions with Iranian officials at the Serena Hotel.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and military leaders played a key mediating role, with Vance thanking Pakistani hosts for their efforts.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed disappointment over the failure to reach a deal but urged the parties to return to negotiations as a matter of priority.
“It is disappointing that the Islamabad talks between the United States and Iran have ended without agreement. The priority now must be to continue the ceasefire and return to negotiations. We continue to want to see a swift resolution to this conflict,” Wong said.
She warned that any escalation in the conflict would impose “an even greater human cost and further impact the global economy.”
A spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry described the talks as conducted in an atmosphere of mistrust, saying it was unrealistic to believe an agreement could be reached in one session.
The spokesperson added that contact and consultation between Iran, Pakistan, and other allies in the region would continue going forward.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar insisted that Washington and Tehran must uphold the ceasefire.
“It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to ceasefire,” Dar said. “Pakistan has been and will continue to play its role to facilitate engagement and dialogue between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America in the days to come.”
The current ceasefire, brokered with Pakistani mediation, remains in effect for now, but its long-term viability is uncertain amid unresolved core issues.
Analysts warn that the lack of a permanent deal could lead to renewed tensions, with potential ripple effects on global oil prices and Middle East stability.
U.S.-Iran Talks In Pakistan End Without Deal After 21-Hour Negotiations is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
