US-Iran Talks Falter: Sticking Points Washington Could Not Surmount
The talks — the most significant direct engagement between the two sides since 1979 — stretched across 16 hours, with US Vice President JD Vance leading the American delegation and top Iranian lawmaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf heading Tehran's team.
Despite the length and intensity of discussions, Vance left empty-handed.
"Unfortunately, we were unable to make any headway," he told reporters before departing Islamabad.
US President Donald Trump appeared to acknowledge the impasse on Sunday while announcing a naval blockade of Iran, saying his team had secured agreement on nearly everything — except one critical sticking point.
"We got just about every point we needed except for the fact that they refuse to give up their nuclear ambition," he said, describing the Islamabad talks as "really a good meeting," with both sides aligned on "95%" of issues, but deadlocked over "one problem … they want to have nuclear weapons."
Media reported that Washington's core demands included a full halt to uranium enrichment, dismantling of major nuclear enrichment facilities, and surrender of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The US team also pressed Tehran to cut all financial support to Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, and demanded that Iran "fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz without imposing tolls or restrictions," the outlet reported, citing an unnamed US official.
Sanctions relief proved equally contentious, with media pointing to disputes over the "scale and timing of sanctions relief, particularly how much of Iran's frozen financial assets would be released under any agreement."
The New York Post reported that talks were also expected to center on US demands that Iran surrender an estimated 1,000 pounds (453.5 kilograms) of enriched uranium and fully restore international access to the Strait of Hormuz.
The New York Times offered a blunt assessment of Vance's 21-hour stay in Pakistan, reporting he "failed to end a war he opposed" and left the talks "with nothing." The outlet described the outcome as "a remarkable conclusion to a high-stakes diplomatic trip for Mr. Vance, who made his opposition known to a full-scale war in Iran."
Iranian Parliament Speaker Qalibaf offered no concessions in tone after the talks, asserting that it was now Washington's turn to decide whether it could "earn" Tehran's trust.
The negotiations followed Pakistan's successful brokering of a 14-day ceasefire on April 8 — the first pause in hostilities since the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28. The war has since killed more than 3,300 people. Iran has also moved to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil and gas flows, since the conflict began.
Israel's ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, signaled Jerusalem's firm position on the sidelines of the diplomatic activity, stating the war would not end on Israel's terms until full separation between Iran and its regional proxies was achieved.
"Not over until there is a complete de-linkage between Iran and its proxies," Leiter told media.
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