The United States and Iran have failed to reach a deal to end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East after marathon talks in Islamabad, with US Vice President JD Vance saying Washington has presented its “final and best offer” to Tehran.
Speaking after 21 hours of negotiations hosted by Pakistan, Vance said the United States is seeking a “fundamental commitment” from Iran that it will not pursue nuclear weapons, adding that no such assurance had yet been obtained.
He said the US would give Iran time to consider the proposal, even as Washington continues to insist on progress toward a ceasefire framework.
“We leave here with a very simple proposal… our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it,” he told reporters before departing Islamabad.
The talks marked the highest-level engagement between both sides since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and were mediated by Pakistan, which said it would continue to facilitate dialogue and urged both parties to respect the temporary ceasefire.
Iranian state media, however, said negotiations stalled due to what it described as “unreasonable demands” from the United States, while officials in Tehran acknowledged that reaching a comprehensive agreement after weeks of war would not be immediate.
The discussions came amid heightened tensions following military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, which triggered retaliation from Tehran and further escalated instability across the region.
Washington has also increased pressure through naval movements in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route, prompting warnings from Iran over any foreign military activity in the waterway.
Iranian officials accused the US of making excessive demands regarding the strait, while maintaining that its cooperation applies only to civilian vessels under specific conditions.
US President Donald Trump said the United States had already achieved military success in the conflict, claiming key Iranian infrastructure and leadership had been targeted.
Despite the breakdown in talks, Pakistan reiterated its commitment to supporting continued engagement between both sides in the coming days.
Meanwhile, violence linked to the wider regional conflict continues, with Israeli strikes in Lebanon reported to have killed at least 18 people, as diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis remain ongoing.
