Islamabad talks collapse
American and Iranian delegations spent 21 hours in Pakistan but left without a ceasefire deal, with U.S. negotiators saying the talks ended with no agreement. (apnews.com) U.S. officials — and President Trump publicly — ratcheted up pressure afterward, including talk of a “blockade” of the Strait of Hormuz and warnings of fresh strikes, while Iran’s lead negotiator said Washington had failed to earn Tehran’s trust. (bbc.com) (theguardian.com)
The United States and Iran left Islamabad early Sunday without a deal after 21 hours of talks over a ceasefire and Iran’s nuclear program. (apnews.com) Vice President J.D. Vance said Iran refused American terms, including a commitment not to seek a nuclear weapon or the tools to build one quickly. Iran’s side said Washington had not earned Tehran’s trust. (abcnews.com) (bbc.com) Pakistan hosted the face-to-face meeting in Islamabad on April 11 and April 12, with Vance leading the American delegation and Pakistani officials mediating. The talks ended before dawn on Sunday, and the U.S. team departed soon after. (apnews.com) (theguardian.com) The failed session leaves in doubt a two-week ceasefire announced days earlier after more than six weeks of war involving Iran, Israel and U.S. strikes. AP reported the fighting had killed thousands and pushed oil prices higher. (apnews.com) Washington raised the pressure within hours. President Donald Trump said the United States would blockade ships in the Strait of Hormuz and intercept vessels in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran. (cbsnews.com) (aljazeera.com) The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that carries a large share of the world’s seaborne oil. Any threat to traffic there can hit energy markets far beyond the Middle East. (britannica.com) (apnews.com) Iranian officials publicly rejected the American account of why the talks failed. An Iranian diplomatic official told live reporters that the dispute was not simply over nuclear demands, while other Iranian figures said the United States was trying to dictate terms. (theguardian.com) (hindustantimes.com) The Islamabad meeting was the first direct U.S.-Iran contact since the current war began, and it produced no joint statement, no timetable for more talks and no public sign of narrowed differences. For now, both sides are back to threats, deterrence and a ceasefire that looks far less secure than it did 24 hours earlier. (apnews.com) (nytimes.com)
