High-stakes peace talks between the United States and Iran collapsed after just one day, with US Vice President JD Vance blaming Tehran for its unwillingness to accept American terms. The negotiations, held in Pakistan on Saturday, were intended to end a six-week war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but the delegations departed empty-handed after 21 hours of marathon discussions.
Speaking after the talks, Mr Vance said the sticking point was Iran's failure to convince negotiators that it would not seek to develop a nuclear weapon in the long term. 'The simple question is, do we see a fundamental commitment of will for the Iranians not to develop a nuclear weapon, not just now, not just two years from now, but for the long term,' he said. 'We haven't seen that yet.' He described the failure as 'bad news for Iran, much more than it's bad news for the United States of America'.
Iran acknowledged some progress but cited disagreements over two key issues: management of the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear programme. An Iranian analyst told The New York Times that the talks collapsed over US demands for zero enrichment and the removal of nearly 900 pounds of stockpile uranium. A foreign ministry spokesperson said the negotiations took place in an 'atmosphere of mistrust' and that expecting a deal in a single round was unrealistic, adding that no further talks are currently planned.
US President Donald Trump, speaking while the talks were ongoing, said it made 'no difference to me' whether a deal was reached, adding 'We're sweeping the strait'. Vice President Vance said the US left a 'final and best offer' on the table, though Washington must now consider its options. Ross Harrison of the Middle East Institute told Al Jazeera that a deal is unlikely if Mr Vance's public ultimatum reflected his tone behind closed doors, noting that Iran has paid a human cost and is 'not going to go back to the status quo ante before the war'.
