Will the strikes resume in Iran and the Middle East? This is the fear of Pakistan, the organizer of marathon negotiations in Islamabad with the United States and Iran, following the failure of quick negotiations of the conflicting parties to end the war. “It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to the ceasefire,” declared Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar.
But neither the American nor the Iranian side has commented on whether the truce will continue, the first in the war triggered on February 28 by the American-Israeli offensive on Iran, which has resulted in thousands of deaths in the region and continues in Lebanon. “We are returning to the United States without reaching an agreement,” said American Vice President J. D. Vance during a brief press conference in Islamabad, where Americans and Iranians had been negotiating since Saturday, April 11, at an unprecedented level between the two enemy countries since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. “I think this is bad news for Iran much more than it is for the United States of America,” he stated.
The American Vice President lamented the lack of a “firm commitment” from Tehran to abandon its nuclear weapons program, a key demand of President Donald Trump since the conflict began, shaking the global economy. “We are leaving here with a very simple proposal, an approach that constitutes our final and best offer. We will see if the Iranians accept it,” he added, before quickly boarding his plane and leaving Pakistan.
Iran confirmed the end of the discussions, attributing their failure to the “unreasonable demands” of the United States, according to the Iranian state television. “It was clear from the start that we should not expect to reach an agreement in a single session of negotiations. Nobody expected it,” said the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, mentioning “an atmosphere of suspicion and distrust.”
No “formal commitment” from Iran
J. D. Vance was accompanied by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump on the American side, while Iran was represented by influential Parliament President Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, leading a delegation of around 70 people. The American Vice President indicated that he was giving Iran more time to consider the U.S. offer.
“The fact is simply that we need a formal commitment from them, that they will not seek to acquire a nuclear weapon and that they will not seek to obtain the means to quickly manufacture one,” stated J. D. Vance. “The question is simple: do we see a fundamental commitment on the part of the Iranians to not develop a nuclear weapon – not just today, not just in two years, but in the long term? We have not seen that yet. We hope to see it,” he continued.
New subjects have been added
While Vance placed the nuclear issue at the heart of the discussions’ failure, he did not explicitly mention the Strait of Hormuz during his press conference. This strategic passage for global hydrocarbon supply from the Gulf has been effectively blocked by Iran since the beginning of the conflict, with cascading consequences on the global economy, including shortages and price hikes.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson referred to “the complexity of the problems and conditions surrounding the negotiations.” “During this cycle, new subjects were added, including the issue of the Strait of Hormuz and regional files, each with its own specific conditions and considerations,” added Esmaeil Baqaei.
The American military stated on Saturday that two of its destroyers had crossed the strait in a preliminary operation for its demining. “We are sweeping the strait,” reiterated Donald Trump to the press. The Revolutionary Guards, the ideological military force of the Islamic Republic of Iran, warned on Sunday that they would act “severely” against military ships passing through the strait.
“It doesn’t matter to me” whether an agreement is reached with Iran or not, Donald Trump also stated on Saturday while the discussions were still ongoing in Pakistan. “We have defeated them militarily,” he asserted.
Over 2,000 deaths in Lebanon
In six weeks of conflict, the war in the Middle East has claimed thousands of lives, especially in Iran and Lebanon. After the ceasefire came into effect, Israel claimed that Lebanon, where it is fighting Hezbollah, was not included in the agreement.
In total, Lebanese authorities said on Saturday they had counted 2,020 dead and 6,436 wounded since March 2. On Wednesday, Israel conducted the deadliest strikes of this war in Lebanon, with at least 357 deaths in one day, according to the latest report. According to the Lebanese presidency, talks are scheduled to take place on Tuesday between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, but these are rejected by Hezbollah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday evening that he wants a peace agreement “that will hold for generations.”
