Negotiations between the United States and Iran ended without a peace agreement after 21 hours of discussions in Islamabad. The failure to reach a consensus raises doubts about the sustainability of a two-week ceasefire that both parties had previously agreed upon. Each side has accused the other of responsibility for the breakdown of talks.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said, “These talks happened in the aftermath of a 40-day war and in an ambiance of mistrust and skepticism. Before the ceasefire announced on April 9, Brent crude had surged above $119 per barrel, its highest level since the early phase of the Strait of Hormuz crisis. The temporary diplomatic pause had eased prices to around $95, but that relief is now fading, analysts said, warning that crude could return to triple-digit levels if the ceasefire lapses without a follow-up agreement.
Because “Iran is unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions, hours after the talks collapsed, US President Donald Trump posted on social media that negotiations failed.
US Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said Iran refused to accept Washington’s terms despite what he described as a “final and best offer. “We just could not get to a situation where the Iranians would accept our terms,” Vance said, adding that, “We leave here with a very simple proposal… this is our final and best offer. Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi claimed that a phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Vance during the negotiations derailed progress, according to Iranian media. Iranian officials said the atmosphere of mistrust also made a deal difficult.
We’ll see if the Iranians accept it. Iran, however, pointed to alleged external interference as a key reason for the breakdown. The talks reportedly collapsed over unresolved differences on Iran’s nuclear programme, control of the Strait of Hormuz, and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Uncertainty over oil shipping and energy prices has resurfaced after the collapse of the talks.