Islamabad (Rajeev Sharma): A crucial round of talks between the United States and Iran concluded without a consensus, as both sides remained divided over the duration of restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear activities.
Negotiations held in Islamabad, facilitated by Pakistan, saw intense exchanges between senior officials from both countries. However, the central issue—how long Iran should suspend uranium enrichment—proved to be a dealbreaker. While the US proposed a long-term halt extending up to 20 years, Iran maintained that it could only commit to a significantly shorter timeframe.
Diplomatic sources indicated that both sides presented formal proposals and explored possible compromises during the discussions. At one stage, there were signs of progress, with negotiators reportedly narrowing gaps on certain issues. Yet, the disagreement over the nuclear timeline ultimately prevented any final agreement.
The talks also addressed broader concerns, including economic sanctions on Iran and the status of key maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran is believed to have pushed for comprehensive relief from sanctions and wider guarantees, whereas Washington remained focused on ensuring that Iran’s nuclear programme does not pose a long-term security threat.
Tensions reportedly surfaced during discussions on trust and past commitments, with Iranian officials raising concerns over previous agreements that did not hold. These exchanges added to the already strained atmosphere, making it harder to reach a common ground.
Despite the lack of a breakthrough, both sides have not ruled out further engagement. Officials suggested that additional rounds of dialogue may be scheduled, keeping diplomatic channels active in the hope of eventually resolving the crisis.
The outcome underscores the complexity of the negotiations, where even extended discussions and partial convergence on some issues were not enough to overcome fundamental differences on core security concerns.
