Iran says the US failed to trust in Islamabad talks after more than 20 hours of high-stakes negotiations ended without an agreement. Tehran’s message was clear: despite what it described as constructive proposals, Washington did not do enough to win the Iranian delegation’s confidence.
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the US side was “unable” to gain Tehran’s trust during the latest round of talks. He added that Iranian negotiators had presented forward-looking initiatives, but the discussions still ended in deadlock. The talks were held in Islamabad over the weekend, with Pakistan mediating after helping broker a two-week ceasefire.
The US and Iran held intense negotiations starting Saturday. However, no deal was reached by the end of the discussions. US Vice President JD Vance said Tehran had rejected Washington’s terms. He told reporters that both sides had discussed several critical issues, but said the failure to reach an agreement was worse news for Iran than for the United States.
Iranian officials, however, suggested they had not expected a final agreement in a single meeting. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei later said no one anticipated that one round of talks would fully resolve the dispute.
Ghalibaf said Iran entered the talks without trust in the “opposing side,” citing the experience of the previous two wars. He argued that the burden now lies with Washington to decide whether it can earn Tehran’s trust in future talks.
He also said the Iranian delegation would continue working to protect what he described as Iran’s achievements during the six-week war. In his closing remarks, he praised both the public and the negotiating team for their support and endurance.
Pakistan’s mediation draws praise from Tehran
Ghalibaf separately acknowledged Pakistan’s crucial role in facilitating the talks and extended his regards to the Pakistani public. That recognition underlined Islamabad’s importance as a mediator during one of the region’s most sensitive diplomatic moments.
The conflict began on February 28 after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran’s leadership and infrastructure. Tehran later responded with retaliatory actions, including the disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Israeli and US bases in the region.
Read: Iran Holds Firm on Strait of Hormuz Control in US Talks
A ceasefire was announced on April 8, with Pakistan again playing a central role in the mediation. After that, Washington proposed a 15-point framework covering nuclear and missile issues, sanctions relief, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran offered a 10-point plan focused on greater control over the waterway, transit fees, and broader sanctions removal.
For now, the latest round of diplomacy has ended without a deal, but both sides appear to be defining their positions for future talks. Iran has signalled that trust remains the decisive issue, while the US says its red lines have already been made clear.
