- Talks mark contact at highest level since 1979 revolution.
- The marathon negotiations lasted about 21 hours.
- The Strait of Hormuz issue added to the complex agenda.
Iran has stressed that diplomacy never ends after long-awaited Iran-US talks ended without an agreement in Islamabad, according to Tasnim news agency.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, the news agency reported, said Tehran and Washington had reached agreement on a “number of issues” and that there were “differences on 2-3 important” issues.
The talks in Islamabad were the highest-profile meeting between the two sides since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran that has plunged the Middle East into conflict and the global economy into turmoil.
After concluding the 21-hour marathon discussion, US Vice President JD Vance said he was leaving after giving Tehran the “final and best offer”.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led his side’s negotiations, said the US failed to earn Iran’s trust but understood its logic and principles.
Meanwhile, Baqaei said the negotiations were being conducted in an atmosphere of distrust. “It is natural that we should not have expected to reach an agreement in just one session,” the spokesman was quoted as saying by Iranian media.
Emphasizing that “diplomacy never ends,” he said, “This tool is to protect national interests, and diplomats must perform their duties both in times of war and peace.”
Baqaei said the success of the talks depended on the “seriousness and good faith of the opposite side” and the acceptance of Iran’s legitimate rights and interests.
The spokesman also pointed out the complexity of the issues, saying: “Some new issues, such as the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, were added to these negotiations, each of which has its own complexities.”
