Last Updated on April 12, 2026 12:29 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
JD Vance said US-Iran talks in Islamabad lasted 21 hours but ended without an agreement. The US and Iranian delegations departed Pakistan Sunday morning following conclusion of the talks
AMN / WEB DESK
Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has urged the United States and Iran to remain committed to a ceasefire after both countries ended historic face-to-face talks without an agreement on Sunday.
“It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to the ceasefire,” Dar said in a press conference following the conclusion of the 21-hour marathon talks.
Dar expressed Pakistan’s readiness to continue to play its role to “facilitate engagement and dialogue” between the US and Iran
He hoped that both sides would “continue with the positive spirit to achieve durable peace and prosperity for the entire region and beyond”.
The foreign minister also thanked Iran and the US for following through on the ceasefire call by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and accepting the invitation for the Islamabad Talks.
Dar stated that he, along with Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, “helped mediate several rounds of intense and constructive negotiations between the two sides, that continued through the last 24 hours and ended this morning”.
The US and Iranian delegations departed Pakistan Sunday morning following conclusion of the talks which began Saturday afternoon, after US Vice President JD Vance in a press conference announced that talks with Iran had failed to reach an agreement.
What we know about the Talks
- JD Vance said US-Iran talks in Islamabad lasted 21 hours but ended without an agreement.
- Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said delegations reached an understanding on several points, but “views far apart” on two to three issues.
- The US insisted on guarantees that Iran would not pursue nuclear weapons, which Tehran refused to accept.
- Both sides held “substantive discussions” and exchanged proposals on issues like sanctions, nuclear policy, and regional conflict.
- Iran said progress depends on US “good faith” and recognition of its rights, including sanctions relief and access to funds.
- Pakistan was praised by both sides for mediating despite the deadlock.
‘No agreement expected from single session’
The Spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baqaei, wrote on X that it “was a busy and long day for the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Islamabad”, during which “numerous messages and texts have been exchanged between the two sides.”
“In the past 24 hours, discussions were held on various dimensions of the main negotiation topics, including the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, lifting of sanctions, and the complete end to the war against Iran and in the region,” he wrote.
“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 also expressed appreciation to the “government and the warm-hearted and noble people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for hosting the negotiations and their benevolent efforts in advancing this process”.
In a separate statement carried by Iran’s Mehr news agency, Baqaei maintained that the negotiations were taking place after “40 days of the imposed war”.
“It is natural, from the beginning, we should not have expected to reach an agreement within a single session. No one had such an expectation either,” he was quoted as saying.
He added that the delegations reached “understanding” on several issues; however, he stated that “on 2-3 important issues, views were far apart, and ultimately, the talks did not lead to an agreement”.
He further stated the negotiations lasted for “a total of 24 or 25 hours and highlighted that another point of contention was “the complexity of the issues and the circumstances”.
He held that during the negotiations, “some new issues, such as the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, were added”.
“Each of these has its own complexity,” Mehr quoted Baqaei as saying.
“Under any circumstances, we in the diplomatic apparatus must pursue the rights and interests of the Iranian people,” he added.