Washington DC: Fresh details have emerged on why high-stakes talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad failed to produce a breakthrough, with US Vice President JD Vance suggesting that Iranian negotiators at the table did not have the authority to finalize a deal.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Vance said the discussions showed “significant progress,” but ultimately fell short of an agreement. He indicated that while Iran appeared to move closer to Washington’s position, the concessions were not sufficient.
“We made a lot of progress… they moved in our direction,” Vance said, adding that “the ball is very much in their court” regarding the next steps in the conflict.
Vance also pointed to internal decision-making dynamics within Iran, suggesting that final approval likely rests with top leadership in Tehran. He said the delegation present in Islamabad was unable to commit to the terms discussed and would need to seek clearance from higher authorities.
“The team that was there was unable to cut a deal,” Vance said, adding that negotiators would have to return to Tehran for approval, possibly from senior leadership, including the supreme authority.
The Iranian delegation included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
However, Tehran has pushed back against Washington’s account. Araghchi said negotiations were close to yielding an agreement before the situation deteriorated following a US escalation.
In a post on X, Araghchi said Iran had engaged “in good faith” during what he described as the most intensive talks between the two sides in nearly five decades. He claimed the sides were “inches away” from finalizing an understanding — referred to as the Islamabad memorandum of understanding — before the process was derailed.
According to Araghchi, the talks broke down after the United States adopted a more hardline stance, accusing Washington of “maximalism” and “shifting goalposts,” and pointing to the announcement of a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz as a turning point.
The contrasting narratives underscore deep mistrust between the two sides, even as both acknowledge that progress was made during the negotiations. With tensions escalating in the region, the outcome now hinges on whether diplomatic channels can be revived — or whether both sides move toward further confrontation.
