US-Iran talks end without breakthrough as Vance departs Pakistan

High-stakes talks between the United States and Iran aimed at ending weeks of conflict concluded without agreement in Islamabad on Sunday, raising concerns over the durability of a fragile ceasefire.

The negotiations — the first direct engagement between the two sides in more than a decade — lasted around 21 hours but failed to resolve key differences over Iran’s nuclear programme and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation, said no agreement had been reached and placed responsibility on Tehran.

“We have not reached an agreement,” Vance told reporters before leaving Pakistan, adding that Washington had made its “red lines” clear, including a firm commitment from Iran not to develop nuclear weapons or the capability to rapidly produce them.

The U.S. delegation included special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Iran’s team included Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

Iranian media, however, blamed what it described as “excessive” U.S. demands for the failure of the negotiations. Reports indicated that while some progress had been made, major disagreements remained over the future of Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear activities.

A spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry said the talks were held in an atmosphere of deep mistrust and cautioned that a single round of negotiations was unlikely to produce a comprehensive agreement.

The discussions followed a two-week ceasefire agreed earlier in the week, aimed at de-escalating a conflict that began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

The war has since killed thousands and disrupted global energy markets, with oil shipments through Hormuz — a critical route for roughly a fifth of the world’s supply — severely affected.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged both sides to maintain the ceasefire despite the lack of a deal, stressing the importance of continued diplomatic engagement.

Sources familiar with the talks said negotiations were marked by fluctuating tensions, with periods of progress followed by setbacks as both sides held firm on core demands.

Iran is seeking broader concessions, including the release of frozen assets, reparations for war damage, and greater control over the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a ceasefire in regional conflicts such as Lebanon.

The United States, meanwhile, is focused on ensuring freedom of navigation through the waterway and curbing Iran’s nuclear programme.

Despite the stalemate, there were tentative signs of movement in the Gulf, with a small number of oil tankers reportedly passing through Hormuz during the ceasefire period, although many vessels remain stranded.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who was in contact with Vance throughout the talks, struck a more ambivalent tone, suggesting that reaching a deal was not essential, while maintaining that U.S. objectives in the conflict had largely been achieved.

The outcome of the Islamabad talks leaves the situation uncertain, with diplomats warning that without further progress, the risk of renewed escalation remains high.