- By Priyanka Koul
- Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:19 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that his negotiating team was leaving Islamabad after failing to reach a deal with Iran following 21 hours of talks. Vance cited shortcomings in the negotiations, saying Tehran had declined to accept American terms, including a commitment not to develop nuclear weapons.
"The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that's bad news for Iran much more than it's bad news for the United States of America," Vance said. "So we go back to the United States having not come to an agreement. We've made very clear what our red lines are."
Vice President JD Vance gives an update in Pakistan:
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 12, 2026
"The simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon." pic.twitter.com/il4THN5DwV
Vance said he spoke with US President Donald Trump multiple times during the talks. The discussions in Islamabad were the first direct US-Iran meeting in more than a decade and the highest-level engagement since the Iranian Revolution.
The peace talks comes days after a fragile, two-week ceasefire was announced, as the war that has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets entered its seventh week.
This could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for roughly 20% of global energy supplies that Iran has blocked since the conflict began. The war has driven global oil prices higher and resulted in thousands of deaths.
In a post on X, Iran’s government said the talks had concluded and that technical teams from both sides would exchange documents. "Negotiations will continue despite some remaining differences," the statement said, without specifying when discussions would resume.
Vance, along with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, met Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi for two hours before a break, according to a Reuters citing Pakistani source said.
The Iranian delegation arrived on Friday dressed in black to mourn those killed in the war, including figures linked to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. They also carried belongings of students reportedly killed in a US strike near a military compound, according to Iranian officials. The Pentagon said the incident remains under investigation, though reports suggest US involvement is likely.
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"There were mood swings from the two sides and the temperature went up and down during the meeting," a Pakistani source told Reuters, describing the first round of talks.
Washington’s main objectives in the deal include ensuring free passage for global shipping and curbing Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme to prevent the development of an atomic bomb.