US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad fail, raising doubts about two-week truce

Direct negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad concluded unsuccessfully on Sunday after more than 20 hours of discussions. This failure casts doubt on the continuation of the two-week truce, which was still reportedly being observed. Pakistan, acting as mediator in the talks, called for the ceasefire to be maintained. The ceasefire, set to expire on April 22, is the first since the conflict began on February 28 following the American-Israeli offensive against Iran, which has caused significant human losses and regional instability. Neither Washington nor Tehran issued an official statement regarding the ceasefire's continuity. Diplomatic sources indicated that a high-level meeting occurred between the two delegations, marking a rare contact since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. US Vice President JD Vance left Islamabad after presenting what he called a "final and best possible offer," expressing regret over Tehran's lack of a "firm promise" to halt its military nuclear program, a central US demand. He stated that Iran was given time to reflect. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, leading the Iranian delegation, accused Washington of failing to build trust, stating the US was "incapable" of gaining Iran's trust. Iranian state television confirmed the failure, attributing it to "unreasonable demands" from the US. Iranian diplomacy spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei noted that an immediate agreement was not expected, citing an "atmosphere of suspicion