US-Iran Talks Collapse in Pakistan After 21-Hour Session

Negotiations between the United States and Iran aimed at ending a months-long conflict in the Middle East collapsed without agreement in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Sunday, following a 21-hour marathon session mediated by the host nation. The talks, the first direct high-level discussions between the two countries in decades, were led by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, but deep-seated mistrust prevented any breakthrough.

Ghalibaf, speaking after the sessions ended, emphasized that Iran had approached the table with good faith and presented forward-looking initiatives through its delegation, which included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials. However, he said the U.S. side failed to demonstrate sufficient sincerity. "America has understood our logic and principles, and now it's time for it to decide whether it can earn our trust or not," Ghalibaf stated on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. He attributed Tehran's skepticism to the legacy of two previous wars with the United States, adding that diplomacy represents one tool in Iran's broader strategy to defend its national rights,...