Marathon peace talks in Islamabad between the United States and Iran concluded on Sunday without a deal to end the devastating Middle East war.

US Vice President JD Vance announced his departure from the Pakistani capital, stating he had delivered Washington’s "final and best offer" to Tehran.

The high-stakes negotiations, the most significant high-level meeting between the two nations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, stalled over key security and economic demands.

Vance emphasized that the US sought a "fundamental commitment" that Iran would not develop nuclear weapons, noting, "we haven't seen that" yet.

However, he indicated that Iran has been given time to consider the proposal during a two-week pause in attacks previously announced by the US and Israel.

The talks, mediated by Pakistan, were characterized by intense mistrust. Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB attributed the stalemate to "unreasonable demands of the American side."

A spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry later added that "no one" should have expected a comprehensive agreement in a single session after 40 days of intense warfare.

The conflict, which began on February 28 following a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, has crippled the global economy and claimed the life of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Throughout the summit, both sides maintained "maximalist" positions:

US Demands: A permanent nuclear freeze and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Demands: The unfreezing of sanctioned assets and an end to Israel’s military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon—a point Vance stated was "not up for discussion."

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime artery for one-fifth of the world’s oil, remains a primary friction point.

While the US military claimed two warships had entered the strait to begin minesweeping operations for a "safe pathway," the Iranian military denied their entry and threatened retaliation.

The Revolutionary Guards noted that ceasefire promises of safe passage applied only to "civilian vessels under specific conditions."

US President Donald Trump, speaking during the talks, downplayed the necessity of a deal, asserting, "Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me. The reason is because we've won."

Referring to the strait, Trump added, "We'll open up the strait even though we don't use it, because we have a lot of other countries in the world that do use it that are either afraid or weak or cheap."

The 70-strong Iranian delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who expressed skepticism, saying, "Our experience in negotiating with the Americans has always been met with failure and broken promises."

The US team included Vice President Vance, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.

Despite the diplomatic efforts in Islamabad, violence continues in Lebanon. Israeli strikes on Saturday killed 18 people in the south, pushing the death toll there past 2,000.

While Israel and Lebanon are set to hold separate talks in Washington next week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out a ceasefire with Hezbollah, seeking instead a peace deal with the Lebanese government that "will last for generations."

As Vice President Vance departed, he left the "method of understanding" on the table. "We'll see if the Iranians accept it," he told reporters.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the process, stating that Islamabad would "continue to play its role to facilitate engagement and dialogue" and urged both parties to uphold the current temporary ceasefire.

Source: AFP