Iran-US talks: No agreement reached, says JD Vance
What's the story
United States Vice President JD Vance has confirmed that no agreement was reached during 21 hours of negotiations with Iran in Pakistan. The talks, which aimed to resolve key issues between the two nations, ended without a satisfactory deal for either side. "They have chosen not to accept our terms," Vance said at a press briefing after the talks.
Nuclear concerns
Nuclear weapons a major point of contention
The main point of contention in the talks was Iran's nuclear program. While Tehran claims it isn't pursuing nuclear weapons, the US and Israel have targeted key Iranian sites amid ongoing conflicts since February 28 and earlier. Vance emphasized that Washington is looking for a clear and lasting commitment from Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons. "The simple question is, do we see a fundamental commitment of will for the Iranians not to develop a nuclear weapon?" he asked.
Military victory
US 'totally defeated' Iran militarily, Trump claims
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has claimed that the country has "totally defeated" Iran militarily. He said that extensive damage had been done to Iran's military capabilities, including its naval and air assets. "We defeated their navy, we defeated their air force, we defeated their anti-aircraft. We defeated their radar," he said, adding that "their leaders are all dead."
Marine chokepoint
Strait of Hormuz also discussed during negotiations
Another major issue discussed during the negotiations was the Strait of Hormuz, a critical marine chokepoint on the Persian Gulf. The strait is mostly blocked by Iran, and US Navy operations are still clearing mines there. "One of the things that's happening is that boats are sailing up and heading out to our country, big, beautiful tankers, and we're loading them up with oil and gas and everything else," Trump said.
Diplomatic pause
US gives Iran time to respond to latest proposal
Despite the failed negotiations, Vance indicated that the US is still giving Iran time to respond to its latest proposal. This comes after Washington announced a two-week pause in attacks with Israel to allow space for diplomacy. The outcome of this situation now depends on whether Iran chooses to accept the US's "final and best offer."