US-Iran talks: Washington wanted nuclear activity suspension for 20 years
What's the story
The recent negotiations between the United States and Iran in Pakistan ended in an impasse over Tehran's nuclear activities. The US proposed a 20-year freeze on Iran's uranium enrichment, while Tehran was only willing to commit for five years, reports by The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal claimed. This disagreement was reportedly the main sticking point during the talks held over the weekend.
Historic meeting
First direct talks in over a decade
These negotiations were the first direct talks between Washington and Tehran in over a decade. The meeting was also the highest-level engagement since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Despite being "80% there" on an agreement, both sides could not finalize decisions on the spot due to differences over key issues like reopening the Strait of Hormuz and international sanctions on Tehran.
Negotiation challenges
Negotiations lasted over 20 hours
During the talks, tensions rose when discussions turned to guarantees and sanctions relief. According to sources cited by Reuters, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi questioned US trustworthiness, citing past incidents where US assurances were not upheld. The negotiations continued for almost 21 hours at Islamabad's Serena Hotel, with separate wings for each side and a common area for trilateral meetings involving Pakistani mediators.
Continued dialogue
Second round of face-to-face talks being considered
Despite the impasse, officials are reportedly still considering a second round of face-to-face talks. On Monday, US President Donald Trump claimed Iran had "called this morning" and that "they'd like to work a deal." White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales reiterated that the US position remains unchanged: "Iran can never have a nuclear weapon." She added that Trump's negotiating team maintained this red line during the Islamabad meeting.