Iran has blamed “excessive” and “unreasonable” demands by the United States for the failure of high-stakes negotiations in Islamabad, saying key disagreements over nuclear rights and the Strait of Hormuz prevented any framework agreement from being reached.
According to Iranian media reports, the marathon talks, which stretched for nearly 21 hours, broke down after Washington insisted on conditions Tehran deemed unacceptable.
‘Despite various initiatives from the Iranian side, the unreasonable demands of the American side hindered the progress of the negotiations,” Iran’s state broadcaster said, blaming “unreasonable demands” by the US for the stalemate. “American greed prevented reaching an agreement”.
Iranian officials maintained that while discussions were substantive, the US side’s approach ultimately derailed progress. The disagreements centred on critical issues including Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, and control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran has consistently argued that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes and has demanded recognition of its “nuclear rights,” while also pushing back against what it described as “maximalist and unlawful demands” from Washington.
Hormuz and Nuclear Issue Key Flashpoints
One of the biggest sticking points in the negotiations was the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil chokepoint, with Iran insisting on maintaining control and rejecting US pressure to guarantee unrestricted access, the Iranian state broadcaster said.
At the same time, the US pushed for strict commitments from Iran to halt nuclear weapons development, a condition Tehran has refused to accept under the current terms.
The talks also touched on broader issues, including lifting sanctions, war reparations, and guarantees against future military action, but none of these saw convergence.
Earlier, US President JD Vance, who headed the US delegation in Islamabad, said that the talks failed because Iran “chose not to agree” to US terms. Calling it a “bad news for Iran,” he said that the American side approached the talks with flexibility, but despite those efforts, no meaningful progress was achieved.
Outlining the next step, he said the US had placed a final proposal on the table. “We leave here with a very simple proposal—a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”
The Islamabad talks marked one of the most intensive rounds of direct engagement between the two sides in recent times, involving senior officials and mediated by Pakistan.
With no agreement reached, the future of negotiations remains uncertain, even as diplomatic channels remain open amid a fragile ceasefire and ongoing regional tensions.
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