ISLAMABAD — High-level talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad ended without a deal after roughly 21 hours of negotiations, U.S. lead negotiator Vice President J.D. Vance said Sunday.
Vance told reporters that the parties had not reached an agreement and indicated the outcome was more consequential for Iran. He said the main obstacle was Tehran’s refusal to provide an affirmative commitment not to pursue a nuclear weapon or the means to build one quickly.
Iran’s foreign ministry said the delegations reached an understanding on several issues but ultimately did not conclude a final agreement. Tehran reiterated that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes and that it retains the right to enrich uranium for that use.
The fate of a two-week ceasefire agreed earlier in the conflict is now unclear. Vance said the U.S. had left what he described as a simple, final proposal and would wait to see whether Iran accepts it, leaving the door open to further progress.
Pakistan, which hosted the talks and has emerged as a key mediator, said it would continue working toward a lasting settlement. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged both sides to uphold the ceasefire.
The Islamabad meeting was the first direct U.S.-Iran engagement at that level since 2015 and the highest-ranking contact since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The talks took place weeks after an operation that killed Iran’s supreme leader, an escalation that made the talks politically significant regardless of the outcome.
President Trump did not issue a public statement about the negotiations’ collapse, instead posting about other matters and attending a public event. Vance said he had been in regular contact with the president while in Islamabad.
Iran criticized what it described as excessive U.S. demands. Iranian briefings said the agenda covered the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear issues, sanctions, reparations, and ending hostilities against Iran and the region. Reported Iranian demands included stopping Israeli strikes on Hezbollah, release of about 6 billion dollars in frozen assets, guarantees about its nuclear program, and the right to levy fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials acknowledged that those multi-point demands complicated talks and that a single session was unlikely to resolve every issue.
The Iranian delegation drew attention en route to Islamabad by posting images showing a row of empty plane seats with photos and bloodied belongings of schoolchildren killed in a U.S. missile strike placed on them.
Violence along other fronts continued despite the ceasefire framework. Israel said it struck more than 200 Hezbollah targets over the weekend; Hezbollah reported ongoing rocket, drone and artillery attacks against Israeli positions and forces inside Lebanon. Lebanon announced that its and Israel’s ambassadors to Washington would meet Tuesday at the State Department to discuss a ceasefire and potential talks. In remarks for Orthodox Easter, Lebanon’s prime minister expressed hope that the country could overcome present dangers and restore stability.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated goals to disarm Hezbollah and pursue a peace deal with Lebanon while describing recent operations as significant achievements.
At sea, two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the first U.S. warship passage since the conflict began six weeks ago, a U.S. official said. U.S. Central Command said it had begun preparations to clear Iranian sea mines laid in the waterway to protect commercial shipping.
Reporting contributions were provided by Betsy Joles in Islamabad, D. Parvaz in Van, Turkey, Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv, and Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg.