ISLAMABAD : After 21 grueling hours of negotiations hosted by Pakistani officials in the capital, US Vice President JD Vance emerged to deliver a terse media briefing on Sunday, announcing the collapse of US-Iran talks and the immediate departure of the American delegation.
“We are ending the talks here and going back,” Vance told reporters outside the venue, his voice betraying exhaustion after nearly a full day of back-to-back sessions. “Iran is not accepting our terms.”
The vice president offered no further details on the specific American demands that Tehran rejected, nor did he take questions before departing. The failure marks a significant diplomatic setback, coming after months of back-channel communications and mounting international pressure for a breakthrough on Iran’s nuclear program and regional activities.
Iranian officials had not yet issued a public response at the time of Vance’s statement. Pakistani mediators, who had shuttled between both delegations throughout the marathon talks, expressed disappointment but declined to comment on the breakdown.
The abrupt end to the Islamabad dialogue raises fresh concerns about escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf and the prospect of renewed sanctions or military posturing.
