No breakthrough but talks continue in US-Iran Islamabad meeting

High-stakes negotiations between the United States and Iran concluded in Islamabad without a formal agreement, but with both sides agreeing to keep diplomatic channels open.

The nearly 24-hour-long talks, hosted by Pakistan, marked the most significant direct engagement between the two adversaries in decades. JD Vance, who led the American delegation, confirmed there was no deal, stating that the outcome was “bad news for Iran much more than” for the US.

Despite the lack of progress, Pakistani leadership framed the outcome as a temporary stalemate rather than a failure. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the talks were “not dead,” expressing optimism that diplomacy could still yield results. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to facilitating further dialogue.

The discussions initially began indirectly before transitioning into rare face-to-face negotiations, continuing through the night into Sunday morning. Key issues included Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, control of the Strait of Hormuz, war reparations, and a broader ceasefire framework following recent regional conflict.

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Washington maintained its core demand for a clear Iranian commitment to abandon nuclear weapons ambitions. However, Tehran did not accept these terms, highlighting persistent gaps between the two sides.

Iran’s delegation, led by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, acknowledged the absence of a deal but stressed that a single round of talks was unlikely to resolve deep-rooted disputes. Officials described their proposals as “forward-looking” while emphasising continued mistrust of the US.

For Pakistan, hosting the talks represented both a diplomatic challenge and an opportunity to reinforce its global role. While no breakthrough was achieved, officials view the sustained engagement as a meaningful step toward a longer-term negotiation process.