High-stakes peace talks between the US and Iran have crumbled after just one day, as JD Vance blamed Tehran for being unwilling to accept American terms.
US and Iranian officials travelled to Pakistan on Saturday for what were hailed as “make or break” peace talks aimed at bringing an end to the bloody six-week war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. But less than 24 hours later, the teams departed Islamabad empty-handed.
In remarks following the 21-hour marathon talks, the US vice president suggested the sticking point had come after Tehran failed to convince negotiators it would not seek to develop a nuclear weapon.
“The simple question is, do we see a fundamental commitment of will for the Iranians not to develop a nuclear weapon, not just now, not just two years from now, but for the long term,” Mr Vance told reporters following the negotiations. “We haven’t seen that yet.”
He added the failure of the talks was “bad news for Iran, much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America”.
Iran said the talks had produced some progress but ultimately failed due to disagreements over “two important issues” – the management of the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s nuclear programme.
An Iranian analyst close to the government told The New York Times the talks fell apart due to US demands for zero enrichment and the removal of nearly 900 pounds of stockpile uranium, as well as the Hormuz issue.
A foreign ministry spokesperson said the negotiations took place in an “atmosphere of mistrust”, adding it was unrealistic to expect a deal in a single round. They confirmed there are currently no plans in place for a resumption of talks.
Speaking as the talks were ongoing, US president Donald Trump said it makes “no difference to me” whether a deal was reached.
“We’re sweeping the strait,” he added in reference to the Strait of Hormuz, and called negotiations “very deep”.
What comes next for both sides?
Vance told reporters following the talks the Americans were leaving with a “final and best offer” on the table, adding: “We’ll see if the Iranians accept it”.
But with no further talks tabled, Washington will need to consider its options if it hopes to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and bring an end to volatility in oil and gas prices.
Reopening negotiations centred around Tehran’s nuclear capabilities could be an option. But Vice President Vance declared the country’s nuclear disarmament a “core goal” of the US, suggesting the American stance is unlikely to change.
Instead, a lack of agreement could see the US abandon the fragile ceasefire agreement and resume attacks on Iran – a move that is unlikely to unlock safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
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Following the conclusion of the talks, President Trump also posted a news article on social media, which suggested he may consider launching a naval blockade in the region.
Senior military officials have also shed light on the president’s previous comments over “clearing the strait”, suggesting a build-up of US naval power in the region.
On Saturday, US central command commander admiral Brad Cooper said: “Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage, and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon.”
The US statement about the destroyers added: “Additional US forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days.”
Iranian officials have remained tight-lipped about their next move after suggesting it was “natural” that negotiations could not conclude successfully in just one day.
Another news agency, Tasnim, cited a source who said: “Iran is not in a hurry for negotiations.”
Officials also hinted at a potential return to armed conflict, with foreign minister Abbas Araghchi saying on Saturday Tehran was prepared to retaliate if attacked again.
Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Al Jazeera he believes a deal is unlikely if Mr Vance’s public declaration of an ultimatum reflects his tone behind closed doors.
“If that’s the case, the Iranians are convinced they’re in no better position to make a deal than they were before the war when there were talks on the nuclear file,” he said.
He added the Iranians have paid the human cost of the war so far, and therefore are “not going to go back to the status quo ante before the war”.
He added: “Hopefully, what we saw publicly was grandstanding and that there was real progress made behind the scenes, and that’s something that we will only know in the coming days.”
