Direct talks between Washington and Tehran, held in Islamabad, ended without an agreement after 21 hours of discussions. Iran believes that no compromise was possible in this first round, while the United States says it did not obtain the desired commitment on the nuclear issue. Meanwhile, tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz, where the US military says it has begun to "set the conditions" of a demining operation, a version disputed by Tehran.
Tehran downplays the lack of agreement in the first round
Following the failure of the talks, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei asserted that"It was clear from the outset that we shouldn't expect to reach an agreement in a single [negotiation] session. Nobody expected it."According to him, Tehran remains "We are certain that our contacts with Pakistan, as well as with our other friends in the region, will continue.", in a context marked by mistrust between the two sides.
Iran blames American "unreasonable demands"
Iranian state television IRIB presented the impasse as a direct consequence of "unreasonable demands" from Washington. In a message relayed on Telegram, she stated that "The Iranian delegation negotiated tirelessly and intensively for 21 hours to defend the national interests of the Iranian people. Despite various initiatives on its part, the unreasonable demands of the American side prevented the negotiations from progressing. The negotiations have therefore ended."For their part, Iranian media outlets, including Tasnim, have mentioned American demands. "excessive" and indicated that the Iranian nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz remained at the heart of the disagreement.
JD Vance leaves Islamabad, speaking of a "final and best possible offer"
On the American side, Vice President JD Vance confirmed his departure from Islamabad without compromise. "We are returning to the United States without having reached an agreement."he said, before adding that Washington was leaving with "A very simple proposal, an approach that constitutes our final offer and the best we can make. We'll see if the Iranians accept it."According to him, the central demand of the United States remains unchanged: "The fact is simply that we need a formal commitment from them, whereby they will not seek to acquire a nuclear weapon and that they will not seek to acquire the means that would allow them to manufacture one quickly."
Vance then summarized the sticking point in more direct terms: "The question is simple: do we see a fundamental commitment from the Iranians not to develop nuclear weapons—not just today, not just in two years, but in the long term? We haven't seen that yet. We hope to see it."The nuclear issue remained the main focus of the discussions, which lasted 21 hours in the Pakistani capital, the first direct meetings of this level between Washington and Tehran in more than a decade.
Pakistan calls for the ceasefire to be maintained
After the talks failed, Pakistan, which hosted and facilitated them, called on both sides to avoid further escalation. "It is imperative that the parties continue to respect their commitment to the ceasefire."Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said, as the future of the two-week truce remains uncertain.
Hormuz remains a subject of confrontation
On the ground, the diplomatic sequence was compounded by a new narrative clash over the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran rejected American claims that two US warships had transited this strategic waterway for mine-clearing operations, and Iranian media warned that any military vessel attempting to pass through it would face repercussions. "Severe measures"At the same time, Centcom stated that two American destroyers had indeed begun to "set the conditions" of a mine clearance of the sea route, a step presented by Washington as a prerequisite for a safer resumption of commercial navigation.
