Pakistan seeks narrow window for reviving stalled US-Iran diplomatic efforts

US and Iranian Diplomats Meet in Islamabad Without Agreement

A two-day meeting between US and Iranian diplomats ended without a formal agreement on Sunday, leaving the fragile ceasefire between the two countries intact. The talks, which were facilitated by Pakistan, aimed to address differences surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.

The negotiations, led by US Vice President JD Vance, failed to bridge the gap between the two sides on key issues. Vance stated that the US would accept an affirmative commitment from Iran not to pursue a nuclear weapon and not seek tools to quickly achieve one. However, he left room for further talks, saying that the US would see if Iran accepted its final proposal.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that Pakistan played a key role in facilitating the discussions. Iranian officials met with senior Pakistani officials later on Sunday before departing for Tehran.

US officials acknowledged that Iran had entered negotiations under a misreading of its leverage, believing it held advantages that Washington did not. The US delegation spent time correcting these perceptions and asserting that no deal would be possible without a full commitment on the nuclear issue.

The talks also failed to address six key points, including ending uranium enrichment, dismantling major enrichment facilities, removing Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, accepting a broader regional security framework, ending funding for designated terrorist organizations, and fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz without tolls.

Hours after the talks ended, US President Donald Trump acknowledged partial progress but emphasized the central impasse. He announced that the US Navy would begin the process of blockingading ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz, citing concerns over Iran’s “Illegal Act of EXTORTION”.

Source: Al Jazeera