ISLAMABAD — High-stakes talks between the United States and Iran concluded without a deal after about 21 hours of face-to-face negotiations, Washington’s lead negotiator, Vice President J.D. Vance, announced Sunday.
“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 U.S…. they have chosen not to accept our terms,” Vance said at a press briefing in Islamabad before boarding Air Force Two. He identified the key hurdle as Tehran’s refusal to provide “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.”
Iran’s statement said the two sides had “reached an understanding on a number of issues, but ultimately the talks did not lead to an agreement.” Tehran has repeatedly described its nuclear program as civilian and has insisted on its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.
The fate of a tentative two-week ceasefire is uncertain. Vance said the U.S. was leaving behind “a very simple proposal: a method of understanding that is our final and best offer,” and added, “We’ll see if the Iranians accept it,” leaving open the possibility of renewed negotiations.
Pakistan, which hosted the rare meeting and has cast itself as a mediator, said it would remain engaged. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged both sides to uphold the ceasefire as talks stalled.
The session, which began Saturday, represented the first direct, in-person engagement between U.S. and Iranian officials since 2015 and the highest-level contacts between the countries since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. It followed months of regional tension and came weeks after a U.S. and Israeli strike that reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader — a development analysts said made the optics of a meeting between the two sides particularly notable. The Iranian delegation posted images from their plane showing empty seats framed by photos and the bloodied belongings of schoolchildren killed in a U.S. missile strike.
President Trump had not issued a public statement about the talks’ collapse as of Sunday. He posted about unrelated matters on his Truth Social account and attended a UFC event Saturday night accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Earlier Saturday, Trump wrote, “We win, regardless,” and said “we’ve totally defeated that country.” Vance said he had been in steady contact with the president while in Islamabad.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the discussions covered multiple issues, including the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear questions, sanctions, reparations and an end to the war in and against Iran and the broader region. He criticized the U.S. approach, saying success depends on the other side’s seriousness and its willingness to refrain from “excessive demands,” and warned that expecting a complete agreement after a single meeting was unrealistic.
Tehran presented a multi-point negotiation plan that included demands such as an end to Israeli attacks against Hezbollah as part of any permanent settlement. Other reported Iranian requests included the release of $6 billion in frozen assets, legal guarantees concerning its nuclear program, and the right to levy fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have continued despite the diplomatic push. Israel said it struck more than 200 Hezbollah targets over the weekend; Hezbollah reported ongoing rocket, drone and artillery attacks on Israel and Israeli forces operating inside Lebanon. Lebanon announced that its ambassador and Israel’s ambassador to Washington will meet Tuesday at the State Department to discuss a ceasefire and potential negotiation dates. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his objectives include disarming Hezbollah and pursuing a peace deal with Lebanon.
The talks coincided with heightened U.S. naval operations in the region. Two U.S. guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz Saturday, the first American warship passage since the conflict escalated six weeks ago. U.S. Central Command said it had begun preparations to clear Iranian sea mines from the waterway to “encourage the free flow of commerce.”
Reporting contributions came from Betsy Joles in Islamabad, D. Parvaz in Van, Turkey, Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv, and Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg.