US-Iran Negotiations Collapse After 21 Hours in Islamabad, Vance Confirms
- US Vice President JD Vance has confirmed that negotiations with Iran ended without agreement
- Vance told reporters after 21 hours of discussions that the United States would now await Iran's response
- Vance said Washington was looking for long-term assurances rather than short-term guarantees
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Getty Images
UNITED STATES - US Vice President JD Vance has said negotiations with Iran have failed to produce an agreement, stating that Washington presented what it described as a "final and best offer" during talks held over 21 hours in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Talks held over 21 hours
Speaking to reporters after the discussions on Sunday,12 April 2026, Vance said the United States was leaving the table with a single proposal and would wait to see whether Iran accepted it, while still allowing time for consideration. He said the US position was aimed at securing an "affirmative commitment" that Iran would not pursue nuclear weapons or develop the capability to do so in the future.
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Vance said the main point of contention remained Iran's nuclear programme. Iran maintains it is not seeking nuclear weapons, while the US and Israel have previously targeted Iranian sites in military strikes linked to the wider conflict. He added that Washington wanted long-term assurances rather than short-term commitments, saying the issue was whether there was a genuine and lasting decision by Iran not to develop nuclear weapons capability.
Vance did not address the Strait of Hormuz in detail, despite its strategic importance as a key global oil shipping route. He also said President Donald Trump had instructed US negotiators to engage in good faith, describing the American side as flexible and accommodating during the talks, but said no progress had been made toward a deal.
Source: Getty Images
Other stories about the US-Iran tension
President Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, expressing hope that it will lead to a permanent agreement. Ramaphosa made the remarks while receiving letters of credence from 20 heads of mission and ambassadors at the presidential guest house in Pretoria. The conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel has been ongoing for over a month, pushing global oil prices higher.
The fragile ceasefire between the United States of America and Iran is already under threat after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again. The US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, 7 April 2026, to allow for negotiations to take place to end the more than five-week war. One of the conditions for the ceasefire was that Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump has threatened to end Iran once and for all in his latest social media post. The President of the United States took to Truth Social to threaten the country, as the conflict between the two nations continues. The conflict began on 28 February 2026 when Israel and the US launched a joint military operation against Iran. The attacks resulted in the death of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several members of his family.
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Source: Briefly News
