SRMED
Englishعربي
Englishعربي
US Vice President JD Vance announced that marathon peace talks between the United States and Iran in Pakistan have failed after more than 21 hours of negotiations, marking a major setback in efforts to end a six-week war that has killed thousands and disrupted global energy supplies.[1] The trilateral discussions, hosted in Islamabad and involving Pakistani mediators, broke down primarily because Iran refused to commit to abandoning its nuclear ambitions, according to Vance.[2] US negotiators, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner—President Donald Trump's son-in-law—returned home without a deal, as reported by Bloomberg.[1][3]
The talks, which began early Saturday morning local time and stretched into Sunday, represented the highest-level direct US-Iran meetings since 1979.[2] Vance led the American delegation, first holding bilateral discussions with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who played a key role in brokering the initial two-week ceasefire announced earlier in the week.[1] On the Iranian side, participants included parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with expert-level committees addressing economics, military, legal, and nuclear issues. A Pakistani source described the atmosphere as marked by "mood swings" from both Washington and Tehran during the first round.
Tensions remained high around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping chokepoint for global oil trade, where Iran has laid sea mines since March, according to US intelligence.[2] As talks faltered, two empty Chinese supertankers made a last-minute U-turn just outside the strait, while earlier transits by Chinese vessels and US Navy ships underscored the fragile security situation.[4] President Trump stated the US is beginning to clear the mines "as a favor to countries all over the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others," with US Central Command setting conditions for the operation.[1] An Israeli intelligence official claimed the strait is under full control of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has been demanding fees from passing ships.[1]
The conflict, which escalated with the US launch of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, has entered its seventh week amid a temporary ceasefire now at its fifth day.[1][3] Fighting in Lebanon continues to threaten the pause, with Iran's lead negotiator warning Friday that talks would not proceed without a parallel ceasefire there.[1] Lebanon's prime minister recently postponed a planned meeting with Israeli diplomats in Washington, citing the need to remain in Beirut.[2] These developments affect millions across the Middle East, spike energy prices worldwide, and draw in global powers like China, amid reports it may arm Iran.[3]
Pakistan's role as neutral host has been pivotal, with officials expressing cautious optimism early on despite uncertainties over concessions. Bloomberg's Pakistan Bureau Chief Faseeh Mangi reported from central Islamabad on the atmosphere, noting Pakistani mediators' explicit confirmation of Iran's mining activities in the strait.[2] The failure raises immediate questions about the ceasefire's survival and potential escalations, including resumed US strikes or Iranian retaliation.
Looking ahead, no immediate next steps have been detailed by either side, though Trump has insisted the US "wins regardless" of the talks' outcome.[2] Markets are watching closely for impacts on oil flows, with supertankers' maneuvers signaling heightened risks. Regional stability hangs in the balance, as stakeholders from Islamabad to Washington reassess amid ongoing military posturing in the Hormuz strait and beyond.[1]