US, Iran fail to reach agreement after marathon talks in Pakistan

CAIRO – 12 April 2026: The United States and Iran announced early Sunday that their talks in Islamabad had concluded without an agreement to shut the door for good on their currently paused war.

US-Israeli strikes on Iran since February 28 triggered retaliatory Iranian attacks across the region, as well as Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply had passed before the war.

More than five weeks of fighting have killed thousands, fueled instability across the Middle East, disrupted oil supplies, and sent energy prices soaring.

‘Bad News’

US Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation during the talks, said “substantive discussions” had taken place, but Iran ultimately chose “not to accept our terms.”

“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 United States of America,” Vance said in a brief press briefing after the talks.

“We leave without an agreement. We’ve made very clear what our red lines are.”

He noted that a key point of contention revolves around Iran’s nuclear program.

“We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and that they will not pursue the means to quickly develop one,” Vance said, calling this “the core goal” of US President Donald Trump.

He added that the US had presented a “very simple proposal, a framework of understanding that is our final and best offer,” without providing further details.

Marathon Talks

The US-Iran talks, hosted by mediator Pakistan, lasted 21 hours, according to Vance, while Iran maintained that a single session was insufficient to reach such a deal.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry downplayed the apparent breakdown in talks, saying no one expected an agreement in a single session.

“These negotiations took place after 40 days of an aggressive war, in an atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei.

“It was only natural not to expect, from the outset, that an agreement would be reached in a single session. No one expected that.”

Baghaei said the two sides had reached understandings on a number of issues, but gaps remained on “two or three key topics”, including the Strait of Hormuz.

 

“Some new issues, such as the Strait of Hormuz, were introduced in these negotiations, each carrying its own complexities.”

What Happens Next?

Neither the United States nor Iran has indicated what steps they will take following the collapse of the talks, but Pakistan has urged both sides to maintain the ceasefire.

“It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to ceasefire,” Pakistan’s foreign minister said.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman stressed that “the path of diplomacy has not been closed.”