Marathon diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East war concluded in Islamabad on Sunday without a breakthrough, as both the United States and Iran maintained "maximalist" positions following 21 hours of high-stakes negotiations.

US Vice President JD Vance announced his departure from the Pakistani capital after delivering what he described as Washington’s "final and best offer," emphasizing that a "fundamental commitment" from Tehran against developing nuclear weapons remained a primary obstacle.

"We haven't seen that," Vance told reporters, though he signaled that Iran still has time to consider the proposal during a two-week pause in attacks previously announced by the US and Israel.

In a sharp rebuttal posted on X, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led the 70-strong Iranian delegation, stated that Washington was "unable" to gain Tehran’s trust during the discussions.

"My colleagues in the Iranian delegation... put forward constructive initiatives but ultimately the other side was unable to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations," Ghalibaf said, later adding that Iran’s experience with the Americans has "always been met with failure and broken promises."

The summit, which was the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, was further strained by conflicting demands regarding the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing conflict in Lebanon.

Iran has utilized its control of the vital maritime route to exert global economic leverage, while the US military reported that two Navy warships have begun clearing mines to ensure a "safe pathway" for tankers—a move the Iranian military denied and threatened to respond to.

US President Donald Trump downplayed the necessity of a deal from Washington, asserting, "Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me.

The reason is because we've won," citing the destruction of military infrastructure and the killing of Iranian leaders, including the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Meanwhile, host nation Pakistan, through Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, urged both parties to respect the temporary truce and reaffirmed Islamabad's commitment to "facilitate engagement and dialogue" in the coming days.

The humanitarian cost of the broader conflict continues to rise, with Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killing 18 people on Saturday, bringing the death toll there past 2,000, even as Israel and Lebanon prepare for separate talks in Washington next week.

Source: AFP