The talks between the United States (US) and Iran have failed, and the American delegation is expected to Pakistan soon, said Vice President JD Vance in an early morning press conference on Sunday after the two sides held a marathon 21-hour talks in Islamabad. During the media briefing, Vance said that the US needs affirmative commitment that Iran will not seek nuclear weapon, or tools that help them achieve one fast. The US is leaving a “very simple proposal”, Vance said, which is a “method of understanding” that is Washington’s “final and best” offer.ย
“We just could not get to a situation where the Iranians were willing to accept our terms. I think we were quite flexible, we were quite accommodating. The President told us – you need to come here in good faith and make your best efforts to get a deal. We did that. Unfortunately, we were not able to make any headway,” he said.
The Iranians want to retain control of the waterway, rejection US offer of a ‘joint control’. Additionally, it also wants Israel to cease all hostilities in Lebanon and unfreezing of its assets by the US. On the other hand, President Donald Trump has categorically said that the US will start clearing the Hormuz, with the US military claiming that two American warships have crossed the Strait, which is a first since the beginning of the conflict.
In response, Iran has warned that military vessels in the Hormuz will be “dealt severely”, reiterating that only civilian ships will be allowed to cross the Strait. It has also denied reports that two Navy destroyers transited the Hormuz, adding that “initiative over the passage of any vessel rests with the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.ย