No deal yet as Vance says Iran rejected US terms

High-stakes negotiations between the United States and Iran concluded Sunday in Pakistan’s capital without a breakthrough. After 21 hours of discussions, US Vice President JD Vance told journalists that Washington and Tehran have not yet reached a deal.

Vance: Failure worse for Iran

“The good news is that we have had a number of substantive discussions. 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,” Vance said at a hotel in Islamabad. He added, “They have chosen not to accept our terms.” Vance stated that Washington has not seen a “long-term” Iranian commitment to forgo developing nuclear weapons. “The simple question is: do we see a fundamental commitment of will for the Iranians not to develop a nuclear weapon, not just now, not just two years from now, but for the long term? We haven't seen that yet,” he said. Vance then abruptly ended his news conference, ignoring questions about the Strait of Hormuz and whether the collapse of talks means a return to war.

Iran reports progress and another round

Iranian state media IRIB reported late Saturday that both sides had agreed to hold another round of talks Sunday following a proposal by Pakistani mediators. Vance confirmed that the US left a “final and best offer” on the table. He appreciated Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army chief Gen. Asim Munir for “trying to bridge the gap,” adding that “whatever shortcomings were in the negotiations were not because of the Pakistanis.”

Tehran warns against excessive demands

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X that “numerous” messages were exchanged during a “busy and long day,” covering the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, sanctions relief, and ending the war. “The success of this diplomatic process depends on the seriousness and good faith of the opposing side, refraining from excessive demands and unlawful requests, and the acceptance of Iran’s legitimate rights and interests,” Baqaei said. He also thanked Pakistan for hosting the talks. The negotiations took place under a fragile two-week ceasefire brokered earlier this week.