The United States and Iran entered talks on the 11th (local time) to end the war, but fell into a stalemate over differences on the core issue of control of the Strait of Hormuz. The bilateral negotiations held in Islamabad, Pakistan, continued for more than eight hours past midnight but reportedly ran in parallel without a clear agreement. This meeting is the highest-level face-to-face negotiation in about 47 years since diplomatic ties were severed between the two countries in 1979.
The talks proceeded in a three-way format with Pakistan participating as a mediator. From the U.S. side, Vice President JD Vance attended along with President Donald Trump's eldest son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steven Witkoff. The size of the U.S. delegation, including security personnel, was reportedly about 300. From Iran, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attended. Iran's entire delegation was said to number about 70.
According to Iranian outlets IRNA and Tasnim, the meeting began at about 5:30 p.m. Pakistan time that day. The two countries each met with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier in the day to discuss the agenda and format before entering full negotiations. The venue was the five-star Serena Hotel in Islamabad.
The biggest flashpoint for both sides was control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil shipments. The United States demanded the immediate opening of the strait, while Iran held to the position that it could open it only after a final agreement. In particular, Iran was said to have rejected a plan to jointly manage the strait with the United States, insisting on sole control and the authority to impose tolls. The Financial Times (FT) cited negotiators as saying that "talks on control of the Strait of Hormuz have reached a stalemate."
The two countries took two breaks in the afternoon and then resumed talks. Around 1 a.m. on the 12th, about eight hours after the start, IRIB announced the resumption of a "third round" and commented, "Given the United States' excessive demands, it appears to be the last chance for the Iranian delegation to draw a meeting point from the U.S. side." Iran's Mehr News Agency said the talks could continue on the 12th if necessary, but also predicted that "there are signs the meeting will not last more than a day." With neither side showing signs of backing down on key issues, observers said it would not be easy to reach a cease-fire agreement in the short term.
Military tensions continued even as negotiations were underway. The U.S. military began mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz that day, ratcheting up pressure. Israel also continued airstrikes in southern Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "Operations against Iran and Hezbollah are not over yet." Amid this, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters, "I don't care whether there's a deal. Whatever happens, we've won," pressing Iran.
The meeting took place four days after the two countries agreed on the 7th to a two-week truce, and 42 days after the war broke out with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.