US-Iran talks end without deal in Islamabad

Vice President JD Vance says Iran rejected key conditions as both sides offer competing accounts of high-stakes negotiations

By Abdullahi Yusuf

High-level negotiations between the United States and Iran wrapped up in Islamabad on Sunday without a breakthrough, with US Vice President JD Vance declaring that Iran had rejected Washington’s conditions.

Speaking to reporters after roughly 21 hours of talks, Vance described the outcome as far more damaging to Iran than to the U.S. He framed the core issue as whether Tehran was prepared to make a lasting, unconditional commitment to never pursue nuclear weapons, not merely in the short term, but permanently. That assurance, he said, had not been forthcoming.

Vance announced that Washington had put its final offer on the table and would wait to see whether Iran chose to accept it. He declined to go into specifics, saying he had no interest in airing the details of private negotiations publicly. He did confirm, however, that discussions had touched on a range of sensitive matters, including Iranian frozen assets, though no resolution was reached on any front.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson offered a different framing of the same talks, describing an intensive exchange of messages covering topics such as the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief, war reparations, and nuclear rights.

He emphasized that any diplomatic progress hinged on the other side negotiating in good faith and respecting Iran’s legitimate interests.

Both sides credited Pakistan with playing a constructive mediating role. The talks were held under the umbrella of a fragile regional ceasefire and facilitated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief General Asim Munir.

With additional information from MNTV

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