US-Iran Talks Fail After 21 Hours: Vance

Washington: Negotiations between the United States and Iran failed to yield an agreement after more than 20 hours of intense discussions, US Vice President J D Vance said, describing Tehran’s refusal to accept Washington’s terms as a major setback.

Addressing reporters in the early hours of Sunday following the talks held in Islamabad, Vance said, “We have been at it now for 21 hours, and we’ve had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians. That’s the good news. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement.”

He stated that US negotiators had clearly communicated their position during the discussions, but Iran chose not to accept the proposed terms. “We’ve made very clear what our red lines are, what things we’re willing to accommodate and what we are not. They have chosen not to accept our terms,” he said.

Vance reiterated that the primary objective of the United States remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. He stressed the need for a firm and long-term commitment from Tehran. “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon or the means to quickly develop one,” he said, adding that Washington is seeking assurances not just in the short term, but for the foreseeable future.

Despite the lack of progress, the Vice President maintained that the US approach during the negotiations was flexible and conducted in good faith under the direction of the President. “We were quite flexible and accommodating. We came here with a genuine effort to reach a deal, but unfortunately, we were unable to make headway,” he noted.

He also highlighted that US officials remained in constant communication with the President and the broader national security team throughout the negotiations, holding multiple consultations over the course of the talks.

Vance confirmed that Washington has now presented what it considers its final proposal to Iran. “We leave here with a very simple proposal — our final and best offer. We’ll see,” he said.

The breakdown in talks marks a setback in efforts to revive diplomatic engagement over Iran’s nuclear programme, a long-standing source of tension between the two countries. Previous negotiations have faced hurdles over issues such as verification mechanisms, sanctions relief, and the scope of Iran’s uranium enrichment activities.