- Iran claims US talks collapsed due to ‘maximalism,’ ‘shifting goalposts.’
- Iranian Parliament Speaker warns US against threats, vows resistance.
- US confirms some understandings but no comprehensive agreement reached.
- US Navy to enforce blockade on Strait of Hormuz maritime movement.
After the high-stakes negotiations between Iran and the United States in Islamabad ended without an agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the two sides were on the verge of sealing a deal before the peace talks collapsed.
Slamming the US over failed talks, he emphasised that the negotiations had brought both countries close to a framework dubbed the “Islamabad MoU,” but “zero lessons were earned”.
Araghchi also said that though Iran engaged in good faith, the talks collapsed due to “maximalism, shifting goalposts and blockade” from the US side.
In a post on X, Araghchi wrote, “In intensive talks at the highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with the US in good faith to end the war. But when just inches away from “Islamabad MoU”, we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade. Zero lessons earned. Good will begets goodwill. Enmity begets enmity.”
His remarks came after negotiations between the two sides stretched for nearly 21 hours but failed to produce a final agreement, despite indications that both delegations were close to formalising a framework.
Iran Signals Defiance Amid Diplomatic Strain
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reinforced Tehran’s firm stance while also pointing to limited progress in the discussions. He said recent warnings from US President Donald Trump would not influence Iran’s position.
Ghalibaf said, “Trump’s recent threats have no effect on the Iranian nation and issued a warning to the US president, saying, if you fight, we will fight, and if you come forward with logic, we will deal with logic.”
He further added, “We will not bow to any threats; let them test our will once again so that we can teach them a bigger lesson.”
At the same time, he noted that Iran had presented “very good initiatives” during the talks, suggesting that avenues for future engagement remain.
US Response On Failed Talks
From the US side, Vice President JD Vance confirmed that while discussions yielded some substantive understandings, they ultimately fell short of a comprehensive agreement.
Addressing reporters in Islamabad, Vance said, “We’ve had a number of substance agreements with the Iranians- that is the good news. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. That is bad news for Iran, much more than it is bad news for the United States of America.”
He added, “We go back to the United States having not come to an agreement.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the US Navy would enforce a blockade on maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz, significantly escalating tensions in the region following the collapse of talks.
He further said American forces had been directed to intercept vessels in international waters that were found to have paid transit fees to Tehran, signalling a tougher enforcement posture against Iran’s maritime activities.
