Intense diplomatic efforts in Pakistan between the United States and Iran stretched beyond 21 hours but ended without a breakthrough on ceasefire terms, Vice President JD Vance confirmed Sunday. The failure underscores deep divisions over Iran’s nuclear activities, with Vance cautioning that Tehran’s intransigence harms its own interests more than America’s.
Addressing reporters, Vance detailed the exhaustive negotiations: ‘We made our positions abundantly clear – our red lines, our compromises, everything spelled out as plainly as possible. Iran chose not to accept.’ The core US objective remains straightforward: ensure Iran never develops nuclear weapons or the rapid pathways to do so.
‘We need fundamental, long-term commitments from the Iranians that they won’t pursue nukes – not just now, not in two years, but indefinitely,’ Vance asserted. Short-term promises won’t suffice; Washington seeks enduring trust.
Praising the US team’s adaptability, Vance highlighted presidential guidance: ‘The President told us to approach with good faith and full effort. We coordinated relentlessly with the entire national security team, briefing him a dozen times over those 21 hours.’
Despite the impasse, Vance expressed optimism for future progress, leaving behind what he called the ‘clearest understanding and our best offer yet.’ This collapsed round of talks delivers a blow to renewed diplomacy on Iran’s contentious nuclear program, a flashpoint in US-Iran relations for decades.
America insists on verifiable halts to uranium enrichment, a demand Tehran has long resisted. With no agreement, escalation risks loom larger in the Middle East.
