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Pakistan's mediation faltered as the US-Iran talks ended without an agreement, leaving a fragile ceasefire on edge. With both sides trading blame and hardening positions, Islamabad has urged restraint.
Islamabad talks end without deal, Pakistan urges US and Iran to continue ceasefire. (Reuters)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Apr 12, 2026 11:42 IST
Pakistan on Sunday urged the US and Iran to hold a tenuous ceasefire after high-stakes talks it hosted ended without a deal, raising fresh doubts about its ability to deliver a breakthrough despite projecting itself as a key mediator.
The Pakistan-brokered negotiations -- the first direct, high-level engagement between Washington and Tehran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution -- fell through after marathon talks, even as Islamabad sought to showcase its diplomatic clout.
In a statement, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he and Army chief Asim Munir "helped mediate several rounds of intense and constructive negotiations between the two sides" that lasted nearly 24 hours.
"It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to ceasefire," Dar said, adding that Islamabad will keep facilitating dialogue between the two adversaries.
"We hope that the two sides continue with the positive spirit to achieve durable peace and prosperity for the entire region and beyond," he added.
TALKS COLLAPSE AFTER MARATHON SESSION
The discussions in Islamabad on Saturday came days after a two-week ceasefire was announced. US President Donald Trump had credited Pakistan’s role for the pause in fighting, naming Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his "favourite Field Marshal" Asim Munir as the brokers of peace.
But expectations of a breakthrough faded as negotiations dragged on for over 21 hours due to sharp differences.
"There were mood swings from the two sides and the temperature went up and down during the meeting," a Pakistani source told Reuters.
US Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said talks ended without agreement after Iran refused to accept Washington’s terms on curbing its nuclear programme.
"The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that's bad news for Iran much more than it's bad news for the United States of America," Vance said at a press briefing before flying out of Islamabad.
He added that he remained in constant touch with Trump during the negotiations. "We've made very clear what our red lines are," Vance stated.
BLAME GAME AND DEEP MISTRUST
Iranian officials have refused to shoulder all the blame for the failed talks.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said "excessive" conditions set by the US delegations had derailed the negotiations. Other Iranian media reported progress on some fronts but mentioned the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran's nuclear programme as key sticking points.
A spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry said the negotiations were held in an atmosphere of mistrust, adding that expecting an outcome after a single round of face-to-face talks was a bit of a stretch.
Despite Islamabad’s attempt to position itself as a central broker, the failure to secure even a framework agreement has left the fate of the ceasefire in question.
- Ends
Published By:
Devika Bhattacharya
Published On:
Apr 12, 2026 11:42 IST
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