US Vice President J.D. Vance has left the Pakistani capital Islamabad, declaring the end of a round of direct negotiations with Iran without reaching any agreement, after marathon talks that lasted more than 21 hours.
De Vance said this is bad for the Iranians more than bad for the Americans, noting that the Iranians have refused to commit not to seek a nuclear weapon, and stressed that this is a key demand of President Donald Trump.
He said he had contacted Trump six times during the negotiations, as well as with the secretary of war, the commander of Central Command and members of Congress, praising the efforts made by Pakistanis to bring views closer.
"We came to negotiate in good faith, but we could not reach an agreement that both sides accept," he said, noting that "Iran's nuclear facilities have been destroyed, but the Iranian side has not pledged to stop its nuclear program," considering that the United States "has provided the best that can be offered to the Iranians in these negotiations."
Vance made no mention in his briefing about the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow corridor through which about 20 percent of the world's energy supplies pass, which Iran has closed since the war began, and the conflict has caused global oil prices to soar and thousands of people have died.
Tehran's Position: Partial Understandings and Fundamental Differences
Iran's Foreign Ministry said the negotiations had made progress on some items, but had stalled due to three key issues that were not fully disclosed.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry stressed that an atmosphere of "mistrust and mistrust" was strongly present, but stressed that "the path of diplomacy has not been closed" and that Tehran did not expect to reach an agreement in a single round.
She pointed out that the Iranian delegation discussed the "ten items" presented by Tehran, in addition to the points of the American side, stressing that disagreements still exist over sensitive files related to the nuclear program, the lifting of sanctions, and regional security arrangements.
US denial of release of frozen Iranian assets
Coinciding with the negotiations, the White House denied reports that Washington had agreed to release frozen Iranian assets in Qatar and other foreign banks, and the denial came in response to media statements quoted by a high-ranking Iranian source as saying that the United States had "agreed to release these funds."
This discrepancy in statements reflects the complexity surrounding the negotiations, especially since the financial file is one of Tehran's most prominent demands in any negotiation track.
Highest level of direct communication since 1979
The Islamabad talks are of particular importance as they represent the highest level of direct contact between the two countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, as the Iranian delegation was headed by Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf with the participation of Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and senior security and economic officials, while the US delegation included Jared Kushner, Special Envoy Steve Whitkoff, along with the US Vice President.
On the Pakistani side, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief General Asim Munir played a mediating role reflecting a shift in Pakistan's diplomatic position after years of isolation.
Rising regional tension
These developments come in light of unprecedented regional tensions, especially with the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world's energy supply passes. The U.S. military said it had begun "creating the conditions" for the start of clearing the sea lane, while Iranian media denied that any U.S. ships had passed through the strait.
Ahead of the start of the negotiations, Iranian state television and Iranian officials said Tehran's demands included the release of assets abroad, control of the Strait of Hormuz, reparations for war losses, a ceasefire across the region, including Lebanon, as well as tolls through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump's stated goals have changed more than a millimeter, but he wants at least free passage of global ships through the strait and restrictions on Iran's uranium enrichment program to ensure it cannot produce an atomic bomb.
A volatile negotiating atmosphere... Lack of trust dominates
Pakistani sources said the atmosphere of the negotiations witnessed "mood swings" between escalation and calm, in light of a high level of mistrust between the two sides. The Iranian delegation arrived dressed in black to mourn the victims of the conflict, while some of its members carried the shoes and bags of schoolgirls killed in a U.S. bombing near a military compound.
This symbolism points to Tehran's attempt to highlight the cost of humanitarian war, in contrast to Washington's insistence on focusing on the nuclear file and freedom of navigation.
Departure of the United States... Continued exchange of documents
Despite Vance's announcement that the U.S. delegation would leave without an agreement, the Iranian government said technical experts from both sides would continue to exchange documents, suggesting that communication channels may remain open, albeit at a limited technical level.
However, the lack of trust, the widening gap of demands, and the overlapping regional files make the chances of resuming negotiations in the short term dependent on developments on the ground and politics that may rearrange the priorities of the two sides before the start of the talks.