The US-Iran talks in Islamabad collapsed after 21 hours of continuous negotiations, with both sides failing to reach an agreement.
Iranian state media blamed the breakdown on what it described as ‘unreasonable’ and ‘excessive’ demands by the US. According to Press TV, key sticking points included the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear rights, and other contentious issues.
State broadcaster IRIB said the Iranian delegation engaged in intensive, round-the-clock negotiations to safeguard national interests, but despite multiple initiatives from Tehran, Washington’s demands stalled any progress, ultimately bringing the talks to an end.
“The Iranian delegation negotiated continuously and intensively for 21 hours in order to protect the national interests of the Iranian people; despite various initiatives from the Iranian delegation, the unreasonable demands of the American side prevented the progress of the negotiations. Thus the negotiations ended,” IRIB said on Telegram.
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No change in Hormuz situation, says Iran
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing an informed source, said there will be no change in the situation in the Strait of Hormuz unless the US agrees to a ‘reasonable’ deal. The report also said that Tehran is in no hurry for the negotiations.
A source close to the Iranian negotiations informed Fars News agency that the US team sought in negotiations what they could not obtain from the war. But Tehran rejected what it called as ‘ambitious conditions’.
Meanwhile, Esmaeil Baqaei, who is the spokesperson for Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs, in an X post also confirmed that the two sides failed to make a deal and ‘numerous messages and texts have been exchanged between the two sides’.
“In the past 24 hours, discussions were held on various dimensions of the main negotiation topics, including the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, lifting of sanctions, and the complete end to the war against Iran and in the region,” he wrote.
Iran’s ‘no change in Hormuz situation’ statement comes hours after two US navy destroyer ships transited through the waterway on Saturday despite repeated warnings fro Tehran.
“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.”
What Vance said?
The US Vice President said that he and his team were leaving Pakistan without reaching an agreement. He however left scope of Iranians accepting the ‘best and final offer’ from the US.
“We’ve had a number of substance agreements with the Iranians- that is the good news. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. That is bad news for Iran, much more than it is bad news for the United States of America.”
“We go back to the United States having not come to an agreement”, Vance said.
He added, “We just could not get to a situation where the Iranians were willing to accept our terms.”
He said that while the US had been very “flexible and accommodating”, the talks could not make a headway.
“We leave here with a very simple proposal- a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”
