Inconclusive talks in Islamabad leave doubts about U.S.-Iran ceasefire
By Susannah George0% Shaiq Hussain
4/12/2026, 5:16:26 AM
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ISLAMABAD — The failure to clinch a deal early Sunday after marathon, overnight talks between the United States and Iran — and the swift departure of Vice President JD Vance, the top American negotiator — leaves next steps uncertain and an array of questions about the durability and future of a two-week ceasefire announced not quite five days earlier.
“We just could not get to a situation where the Iranians were willing to accept our terms.
I think that we were quite flexible,” Vance told reporters at a brief news conference at Islamabad’s international airport before departing for Washington.
The U.S. delegation had arrived in Pakistan’s capital late Friday for what was billed as a final round of direct talks aimed at solidifying the ceasefire that took effect April 7 after more than a week of intense fighting between Israel and Iran-backed groups across the region.
The talks, held at a secure government facility in Islamabad, were the highest level of face-to-face engagement between leaders of the United States and Iran in decades.
They came after months of back-channel diplomacy and shuttle diplomacy by Pakistani intermediaries.
But the two sides emerged without a deal, and Vance’s departure without plans for a follow-up meeting underscored the depth of the remaining differences.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to reporters separately, accused the United States of intransigence.
“They came with maximalist demands and left without accepting our reasonable proposals,” Araghchi said.
“The ball is in their court now.”
The core sticking points appeared to be Iran’s nuclear program, its ballistic missile capabilities and control over the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil passes.
The United States has demanded strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities and the dismantling of its missile program.
Iran, in turn, has insisted on reparations for what it calls Israeli aggression and guarantees that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open to its shipping.
Vance said the U.S. offer was “final and best” and that Iran would have to accept it or face the consequences.
“If they don’t take it, we’ll have to consider other options,” he said, without elaborating.
The talks were hosted by Pakistan, which has positioned itself as a neutral mediator in the conflict.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met separately with both delegations Saturday and expressed hope for a breakthrough.
But by Sunday morning, it was clear no deal would be reached.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States and Qatar, had largely held since taking effect, though there were reports of sporadic exchanges of fire along the Israel-Lebanon border and in the Red Sea.
The failure of the talks raises the prospect that those violations could escalate into a broader breakdown.
Analysts said the outcome was not surprising given the wide gap between the two sides.
“This was always going to be difficult,” said Vali Nasr, a Middle East expert at Johns Hopkins University.
“The U.S. wants to end Iran’s nuclear threat and missile program.
Iran wants compensation and security guarantees.
Those are fundamentally incompatible.”
The talks were the first direct engagement between U.S. and Iranian officials since the Trump administration took office in January.
Previous contacts had been limited to intermediaries.
Vance, who has taken a lead role in Middle East diplomacy, had invested significant political capital in the process.
He traveled to the region twice in recent weeks and spoke by phone with Iranian officials.
His decision to attend the talks personally underscored their importance to the administration.
But the outcome represents a setback at a time when President Donald Trump is seeking to project strength ahead of the midterm elections.
The White House sought to put a positive spin on the talks.
“Progress was made, but more work remains,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
“The president remains committed to peace through strength.”
Iran, meanwhile, portrayed the talks as a victory in themselves.
“America came to the table,” Araghchi said.
“That’s progress.”
The coming days will be critical in determining whether the ceasefire holds.
Both sides have incentives to avoid escalation.
Iran is suffering economically from sanctions and wants to avoid a wider war.
The United States is focused on domestic priorities and wary of another Middle East conflict.
But hard-liners on both sides will be emboldened by the failure of the talks.
In Tehran, conservative lawmakers called for a harder line against the United States.
In Washington, some Republicans criticized the administration for being too soft on Iran.
The next few days could determine whether the fragile truce survives — or whether the region slides back toward conflict.
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