US and Iran end direct negotiations on war’s fragile ceasefire

Summary

The United States and Iran ended direct ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad without a deal, with Vice President JD Vance saying the talks concluded after Iranian officials refused to accept U.S. terms tied to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The 21-hour round of face-to-face discussions left the future of the fragile, two-week truce unclear, even as Pakistan’s mediators urged both sides to keep the ceasefire in place.

Vance, who led the U.S. delegation during the negotiations, told reporters that talks finished without agreement after the Iranians would not accept American terms requiring an “affirmative commitment.” He said the U.S. position sought a pledge that Iran would not seek a nuclear weapon and would not seek “the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” calling it the core goal of President Donald Trump’s administration. Vance did not lay out what would happen once the two-week period ends, nor did his comments clarify whether the ceasefire would remain in force.

The negotiations began Saturday, shortly after a fragile ceasefire was announced following fighting that had killed thousands and pushed the conflict into its seventh week. According to the AP report, there was no immediate comment from the Iranian delegation after Vance announced there was no agreement and left for the airport.

Vance said he remained in “constant communication” with Trump and other senior officials during the talks. He said he spoke with Trump “a half dozen times” and “a dozen times” over the 21 hours, and also discussed the negotiations with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. Central Command.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the halt in fighting must continue, telling reporters, “It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to ceasefire,” and adding that Pakistan would try to facilitate a new dialogue between Iran and the U.S. in the coming days. Two Pakistani officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the press, said a third round between the delegation heads had concluded and that talks would resume after a break.

The AP report also described parallel developments around the maritime corridor and the broader regional fight. It said the U.S. military stated two U.S. destroyers transited the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz ahead of mine-clearing work, describing it as a first since the war began, while Iran’s state media reported that a joint military command denied the claim.

During the negotiations, Vance and the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, discussed how to advance the ceasefire already strained by disagreements and by Israel’s continued attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah’s fight has remained intertwined with the broader war since the opening days, when Hezbollah joined the conflict in support of Iran, and Israel later expanded its strikes and ground invasion.

Iran’s delegation said the negotiations began after Iranian preconditions were met, including a reduction in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, and Iran’s state-run news agency said Iran presented “red lines” in meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The AP report said those “red lines” included compensation for damage from U.S.-Israeli strikes that launched the war on Feb. 28 and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.

The AP report said the U.S. proposal included restricting Iran’s nuclear program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran’s 10-point proposal sought a guaranteed end to the war and sought control over the Strait of Hormuz, including ending fighting against Iran’s “regional allies” and explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. Israel and Lebanon, meanwhile, were expected to begin direct negotiations in Washington after a Lebanese official said Prime Minister Nawaf Salam postponed a planned trip due to internal circumstances.

Vance’s comments and the lack of an agreement raised questions over how long the ceasefire will last. With mediators urging continued compliance and both sides citing incompatible demands, the talks’ failure in Islamabad put renewed emphasis on whether the two-week truce can be preserved or replaced by a new dialogue before it expires.