‘We’re leaving without any deal as Iran rejected US terms’: JD Vance calls it ‘bad news for Iran’

The negotiations between the United States and Iran ended in a deadlock in Islamabad, with US Vice President JD Vance announcing that no agreement had been reached after nearly 21 hours of talks. Speaking to reporters, Vance said the US delegation was returning home without any deal, calling the outcome “bad news for Iran” rather than the United States.

“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,” said Vance.

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Vance made it clear that Washington had laid out its conditions and areas of flexibility during the discussions, but Tehran did not accept them. He said the US had pushed for a firm commitment from Iran to abandon any pursuit of nuclear weapons and related capabilities, but the talks failed to secure that assurance.

Constant coordination with Trump

Throughout the negotiations, Vance remained in close contact with President Donald Trump and senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, and Adm. Brad Cooper, Commander of US Central Command. He said the coordination underscored the seriousness of the US approach during the talks.

The marathon discussions reportedly covered critical flashpoints, including Iran’s nuclear programme and the strategic Strait of Hormuz. However, with both sides holding firm on core demands, the Islamabad talks ended without a breakthrough, deepening uncertainty over the path forward.

‘Final offer’ still on the table

Despite the breakdown, Vance said the US had left behind a “final and best offer,” indicating that the door to an agreement remains open if Iran reconsiders its position. He maintained that the US had negotiated in good faith and had been willing to accommodate certain concerns, but no middle ground was reached.

He said, “We leave here with a very simple proposal- a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”