JD Vance announced on Sunday that the U.S. negotiating team had left Pakistan after failing to reach an agreement with Iran following 21 hours of talks.
Vance said the discussions ended without a deal due to shortcomings in negotiations, noting that Iran had declined to accept key U.S. conditions, including a commitment not to develop nuclear weapons. He emphasized that while the outcome was disappointing, it would have greater consequences for Iran than for the United States.
The Vice President also revealed that he had spoken multiple times with Donald Trump during the negotiations, underscoring the importance of the talks.
The meeting in Islamabad marked the first direct engagement between the United States and Iran in more than a decade, and the highest-level contact since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The outcome is seen as critical to the future of the fragile ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy route that carries about 20% of the world’s oil supply.
Meanwhile, Iran stated that although no final agreement was reached, negotiations had concluded for now and technical experts from both sides would continue exchanging documents, with discussions expected to resume despite remaining differences.
During the talks, Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner met with senior Iranian officials, including Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
The Iranian delegation arrived in mourning attire for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and others killed in the conflict. They also highlighted civilian casualties, including students reportedly killed in a U.S. airstrike, an incident that the Pentagon has said is under investigation.
