High-stakes negotiations between the United States and Iran concluded without an agreement. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, attributed the failure of the talks, held in Islamabad, Pakistan, during a two-week ceasefire in their ongoing conflict, to the US.
Ghalibaf, who serves as the speaker of Iran’s parliament, stated on Sunday that his delegation presented “forward-looking” initiatives during Saturday’s discussions, but claimed the US failed to earn the trust of the Iranian side.
Earlier, US Vice President JD Vance, who headed the American delegation, confirmed that the talks concluded without a deal. “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,” he remarked six weeks into the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
These negotiations, marking the first direct engagement between the two nations at this level since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, highlighted profound disagreements on critical matters such as Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, which has effectively been under Tehran’s control since the war commenced on February 28.
The de facto blockade of this vital waterway, through which one-fifth of global crude oil supplies transit, has triggered a worldwide energy crisis and unsettled stock markets globally.
Kamal Hyder of Al Jazeera, reporting from Islamabad, noted that the Pakistan-mediated talks, which lasted over 21 hours, were “neither a breakthrough nor a breakdown.”
Below is an overview of each side’s statements and the primary points of contention between Tehran and Washington:
What did the US say?
The US primarily attributed the lack of progress to Iran’s alleged refusal to meet its central demand: a firm commitment not to develop nuclear weapons.
“We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vance informed reporters at a news conference.
“That is the core goal of the President of the United States, and that’s what we’ve tried to achieve through these negotiations.”
Vance stated that Washington had clearly defined its “red lines” and presented what he termed a “final and best offer.”
The Vice President did not explicitly mention the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
During the negotiations, US President Donald Trump appeared to interject himself into the discussions, suggesting that a deal was not entirely necessary.
“We’re negotiating. Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me because we’ve won,” he told reporters in Washington, DC.
However, Al Jazeera’s John Hendren, reporting from Washington, DC, commented that Trump’s decision to send Vance to Islamabad indicated the US was taking these talks seriously.
“The fact that Vance left [Islamabad] doesn’t necessarily mean that the talks are over,” he said, adding that the main sticking points appear to be the Strait of Hormuz and the disagreements regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
“The US has been negotiating with Iran over time. Those talks can continue remotely, and leaving those talks may simply be a hard stance,” the Al Jazeera correspondent further noted.
What did Iran say?
Iran downplayed expectations and accused the US of making what it termed “unreasonable demands.”
“The success of this diplomatic process depends on the seriousness and good faith of the opposing side, refraining from excessive demands and unlawful requests, and the acceptance of Iran’s legitimate rights and interests,” Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei posted on X.
He added that the two sides discussed a range of issues, including the “Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, the lifting of sanctions, and the complete end of the war against Iran.”
Baghaei emphasized that the absence of a deal should not be viewed as a failure of the broader diplomatic process, stating, “No one had such an expectation.”
According to the IRNA news agency, when asked if diplomacy had concluded, Baghaei responded, “Diplomacy never ends.”
Ghalibaf posted on X: “The US has come to understand Iran’s logic and principles, and now it must decide whether it is capable of gaining our trust.”
Mohsen Farkhani from the University of Isfahan suggested that Tehran entered the talks not seeking a breakthrough, but rather to demonstrate to the world that Washington lacked seriousness.
“Iran was in these negotiations with a kind of totally realistic view and with distrust… to prove to the world that, for the third time, the US doesn’t have enough seriousness to solve the problems or the challenges in peace and negotiations,” he told Al Jazeera.
What did Pakistan say?
Pakistan urged for the ceasefire to be maintained while keeping diplomatic channels open.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stressed the “imperative” for both sides to uphold their commitment to the ceasefire, implicitly warning of the risks of renewed conflict should it collapse.
“We hope that the two sides will continue with the positive spirit to achieve durable peace and prosperity for the entire region and beyond,” Dar stated.
Pakistan will continue to “play its role to facilitate engagement and dialogue between” Iran and the US “in the days to come,” he added.
Iran’s Nuclear Program
This remains the central dispute between Tehran and Washington.
The US seeks a clear and enforceable commitment that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons, or even the rapid capability to do so.
Iran has consistently denied accusations that it aims to build nuclear weapons, but stated its willingness to negotiate limits on its nuclear activities if sanctions are lifted.
Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes and denies any intention of developing a nuclear weapon. Washington and Tehran signed a nuclear deal in 2015 under US President Barack Obama, which limited Iran’s uranium enrichment to 3.67 percent in exchange for sanctions relief. However, Trump, Obama’s successor, withdrew Washington from the deal three years later and reimposed sanctions on Iran. Since then, Iran has accelerated its uranium enrichment to 60 percent, while 90 percent enrichment is required for an atomic bomb.
Trump has publicly advocated for the removal of enriched uranium from Iran. During Israel’s 12-day war on Iran in June, the US conducted airstrikes on Iran’s three primary nuclear sites, after which Trump claimed Iran’s nuclear program had been “obliterated.” Yet, eight months later, he initiated a war against Iran, stating one of his main goals was to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The war commenced while Oman-mediated talks between Iran and the US were ongoing. Oman had indicated shortly before the attacks began that a deal was “within reach.”
Strait of Hormuz
Control over this strategic waterway, through which nearly all oil and natural gas exports from Gulf nations pass, has emerged as a significant flashpoint.
Iran has proposed charging transit fees for ships passing through the strait, while the US insists on its reopening free of any tolls.
The near shutdown of shipping through the strait has caused global energy prices to soar, forcing many countries, particularly in Asia, to implement unprecedented austerity measures to mitigate the impact of fuel shortages.
Experts suggest that the near-closure of the strait has led to the worst economic shock since the 1973 oil embargo, which removed 4.5 million barrels per day from global supply. Today’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has blocked 20 million barrels.
Extending the Ceasefire to Lebanon
Iran is advocating for a broader regional ceasefire, encompassing an end to fighting involving its allies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has supported Washington’s decision to suspend strikes on Iran, he stated that the ceasefire would not extend to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Lebanon.
Hours after the ceasefire began on Wednesday, Israel conducted dozens of attacks across Lebanon, resulting in over 300 deaths in a single day.
However, Tehran insisted the ceasefire included Lebanon, citing Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ceasefire announcement on X, which unequivocally affirmed this.
Trump has supported Netanyahu’s comments, referring to it as “a separate skirmish.” Vance this week cautioned Iran that it would be “foolish” to jeopardize its ceasefire with Washington over Israel’s attacks in Lebanon.
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