Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he hopes US-Iran talks will continue, even after the first round of negotiations in Islamabad ended without a breakthrough. His remarks reinforced Pakistan’s effort to keep diplomacy alive after 21 hours of high-stakes talks failed to produce a deal.
Speaking at a press briefing in Islamabad, Dar thanked both delegations for joining the dialogue and said they had responded positively to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s request. He added that Pakistan would continue to act as a facilitator and expressed hope that both sides would move forward constructively to support lasting peace and regional stability.
Dar said the US delegation arrived under the leadership of Vice President JD Vance, while Iran sent a team led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. His comments came shortly after Vance confirmed that the American team was leaving Pakistan without an agreement.
امریکہ اور ایران کا شکریہ، دونوں وفود کے درمیان جامع اور تعمیری مذاکرات کے متعدد دور ہوئے، پاکستان امن کیلئے کردار ادا کرتا رہے گا، اسحاق ڈار کی مختصر گفتگو۔۔!! pic.twitter.com/vcLbJ8FHXU
— Khurram Iqbal (@khurram143) April 12, 2026AP reported that the Islamabad Talks marked the first direct US-Iran meeting in more than a decade and the highest-level contact since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. That context makes Dar’s insistence on continued dialogue especially significant, even after the initial round collapsed.
JD Vance Says Talks Ended Without a Deal
After the talks ended, Vance told reporters that the United States had not reached an agreement with Iran and had made its red lines clear. He said Washington wanted a firm Iranian commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons or the tools needed to quickly build one.
According to AP, the impasse left a fragile two-week ceasefire under pressure and highlighted deep divisions over Iran’s nuclear programme, regional militant groups and the Strait of Hormuz. Those disputes remain central to whether any future round can succeed.
Pakistan Signals It Will Keep Playing Mediator
Dar’s statement suggests Pakistan does not see the failed round as the end of the process. Instead, Islamabad appears determined to preserve a channel for further engagement between Washington and Tehran.
That approach aligns with earlier reporting that Pakistan had offered to host the talks and positioned itself as a go-between at a dangerous moment in the conflict. AP previously reported that Islamabad was leveraging its ties with both sides to push for negotiations.
Dar’s comments matter because they keep diplomatic momentum alive even after public failure. His message aims to reassure both regional and international audiences that Pakistan will continue to work to prevent the crisis from escalating further.
Read: US-Iran Talks End Without Deal After 21 Hours in Islamabad
For now, the first Islamabad round has ended without a deal. But Dar’s remarks suggest Pakistan still sees space for further talks, and that the broader effort to prevent the ceasefire from collapsing is not over.
