Twenty-one hours of talks in Islamabad between the United States and Iran ended without progress. Not surprisingly, no agreement emerged at the first post-ceasefire meeting. Nor does it mean that the process has failed. Even before the talks began, it was evident that there were huge differences between the two sides. The two-week ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump on April 8, after 39 days of war, appeared shaky from day one as Israel stepped up airstrikes on Lebanon, killing hundreds of people. Both Iran and Pakistan, which mediated the truce, claimed that Lebanon was covered by the ceasefire, while Israel wants to continue the war. There was also no mutually agreed framework for the Islamabad talks. Iran claimed its 10-point proposal was accepted as a basis for discussion, while the White House said the 10 points it received were different from the proposal Tehran had published. Despite the differences, the meeting between US Vice President JD Vance and the Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the first high-level face-to-face meeting between the two sides since the 1979 revolution, marked significant progress.
According to Vance and Iranian officials, three issues remain contentious: Iran’s nuclear program, its control over the Strait of Hormuz and Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Notably, Iran was willing to reach a deal on its nuclear program, the strait was wide open, and the situation in Lebanon had not degenerated into a full-scale ground invasion before the United States and Israel launched war against Iran on February 28. American and Israeli bombings have not met their stated objectives. On the contrary, the war has hardened Iran’s position and triggered a whole new crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, who unilaterally sabotaged the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal in 2018, should not have started this war. But now that the war has proven to be a strategic setback for the United States and its regional allies, Washington must focus on a negotiated agreement without ultimatums. Iran, for its part, is aware that it has significant influence, but must avoid exaggerating. Tehran needs credible security guarantees against future aggression and support for reconstruction, while Israel’s unjustified killings in Lebanon must end. At the same time, Iran should be open to concessions on the nuclear front and to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global traffic. The Islamabad meeting could be a starting point, if both sides maintain dialogue while maintaining the ceasefire.
Published – April 13, 2026 12:49 am IST
