Summary of this article
Iran said talks with the US in Pakistan collapsed due to “excessive demands,” while Washington blamed Tehran’s refusal to curb its nuclear programme.
Both sides held “intensive” discussions and found some common ground, but key differences remained on major issues like sanctions, Hormuz and the war.
Pakistan, which mediated the talks, called them “constructive” and said efforts will continue despite no deal being reached.
The Iran-US talks in Pakistan have ended without a deal due to "excessive demands" made by the American side, a top Iranian official said on Sunday.
However, Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated that Iran is committed to using all means, including diplomacy, to safeguard national interests and ensure the welfare of people.
US Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said the talks failed to reach a peace deal, citing Tehran not forgoing its nuclear programme as one of the key sticking points. He claimed that the Iranian side rejected the "final and best offer" made by the United States.
However, Baqaei claimed that while the two sides reached a consensus on some points, they disagreed on two or three crucial ones.
He said that during the intensive negotiations that began Saturday morning, with Pakistan's mediation, numerous messages and texts were 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," Baqaei said.
"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," he added.
He said it was natural that Iran should not have expected from the beginning to reach an agreement within one meeting. "No one expected that either." "We have not forgotten and will not forget the experiences of America's breaches of promise and malicious acts," he said.
He thanked Pakistan for hosting the negotiations and for its efforts in advancing this process.
In a brief statement to the media, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan helped mediate several rounds of “intense and constructive” discussions over the past 24 hours.
Dar expressed optimism for progress, saying that in order to achieve long-lasting peace and regional stability, both sides should keep an optimistic attitude.
In the upcoming days, Dar said, Pakistan would keep playing its part in helping Iran and the United States engage and communicate.
The US group, led by Vice President JD Vance, arrived in Islamabad on Saturday morning, while the Iranian mission, led by Speaker Mohammad Baqir Galibaf, arrived on Friday night.
Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, it was the first high-level, direct interaction between Iran and the United States.
