US Vice President JD Vance said Monday he failed to reach an agreement with Iran after marathon talks, raising uncertainty over the conflict just as the two nations had agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
"The bad news is we did not reach a deal," Vance told reporters in Islamabad, Pakistan, after concluding trilateral talks with Iranian and Pakistani officials. "That is much worse news for Iran than it is for the United States."
Vance said negotiations lasted 21 hours and included multiple substantive discussions with Iranian representatives. Iranian state media also confirmed the talks ended without an agreement.
"We are going home without an agreement," Vance said. "We made very clear what our red lines are, what we are willing to give on and what we are not willing to give on. They chose not to accept our terms."
Vance: 'Could Not Confirm Long-Term Commitment Against Nuclear Development'
When asked what Iran rejected, Vance declined to provide specifics but emphasized the core US demand. "The simple fact is we need to be able to confirm a firm commitment from Iran that they will not pursue nuclear weapons and will not pursue the means to quickly complete nuclear weapons," he said. "That is the president's core objective and what we sought to achieve through these negotiations."
Vance noted that Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities and nuclear program had already been destroyed but stressed that the key question remained whether Washington could confirm Iran's fundamental commitment not to develop nuclear weapons "not just now or in two years, but in the long term."
"We have not yet seen that commitment," he added. "We hope to see it going forward."
When asked whether Iran's frozen overseas assets were discussed, Vance said "all issues" were on the table. "I think the United States was quite flexible and made concessions," he said. "The president told us to negotiate in good faith and do our best to reach a deal, and we did. Unfortunately, we did not make progress."
Vance said he spoke with President Trump approximately 12 times during the 21-hour negotiation session. "We are leaving behind our very simple, final and best offer," he said. "We will see if it is accepted."
Iran: 'Excessive US Demands Blocked Agreement'
Iranian state television reported that "excessive US demands" obstructed an agreement, according to the New York Times. The outlet said the key issues were the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's uranium enrichment rights, and other matters.
"Despite various creative approaches by the Iranian negotiating team, the talks did not progress due to the unreasonable and excessive demands of the Americans," Iranian media reported.
Iran's Fars News Agency quoted a negotiating team official as saying there are "no plans for new talks with the United States" and that "the US side was looking for an excuse to leave the negotiating table."
A source told the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, which has close ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that "Iran will not rush negotiations" and that "if the United States does not agree to a reasonable deal, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not change."
The Times analyzed that the US demand for Iran not to "pursue the means to quickly complete nuclear weapons" may have been the key obstacle. This would require Iran to halt uranium enrichment and remove all highly enriched uranium currently in its possession, particularly an estimated 440 kilograms stored in Isfahan, where the two sides apparently could not reach agreement.
"Expectations that a single round of negotiations would produce a deal were unrealistic from the start," the Times noted, adding that "the importance of the nuclear program to Iran and disputes over control of the Strait of Hormuz suggest prolonged negotiations."
Bloomberg reported that "the lack of any progress on the Strait of Hormuz in particular could shock oil markets."