JD Vance says US delegation leaving Pakistan after failing to reach deal with Iran
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has announced that the American delegation is leaving Pakistan after failing to reach a deal with Iran in marathon peace talks held in Islamabad. The negotiations, which lasted about 21 hours, ended without any breakthrough, despite Washington presenting what Vance called a “final and best offer” to Tehran.
What Vance said
Vance told reporters that the talks were “substantial” but ultimately fruitless, acknowledging that Iran did not accept U.S. terms, especially on nuclear‑weapons‑related red lines. He stressed that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons remains a core U.S. objective and suggested the outcome is more damaging to Iran than to the United States.
Role of Pakistan and delegation
Pakistan acted as the host and mediator, with Vance leading a delegation that included senior figures such as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Vance publicly thanked Pakistani officials for facilitating the talks, saying any shortcomings were not due to Islamabad’s efforts.
Implications
The failure to secure an agreement marks a setback for direct high‑level U.S.–Iran diplomacy amid an ongoing regional conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran, and raises questions about next steps in the Persian‑Gulf standoff. The U.S. delegation has now departed Pakistan, leaving the door open for Iran to reconsider the proposed terms without committing to them at this stage.
