Cease-fire talks between the United States and Iran held in Islamabad, Pakistan, ended for now in the early hours on the 12th local time. The two sides continued overnight talks for 14 hours, but were said to have failed to narrow differences on key issues.
The Iranian government said on X (formerly Twitter), a social media platform, that "the meeting with the United States, held through Pakistan's mediation, ended after 14 hours," adding that "working-level teams on both sides are currently exchange professional documents." It added, "Some differences remain, but negotiations will continue." The U.S. side has not yet released an official position.
According to major foreign media, the talks began at about 5:30 p.m. the previous day and concluded at about 3 a.m. after three rounds, including breaks. Earlier, the two countries made a surprise agreement on the 8th to a two-week truce and then held their first face-to-face talks with Pakistan present. The United States dispatched a negotiating team led by Vice President JD Vance, while Iran's delegation was led by Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
The two sides were reported to have been firmly at odds on key issues, including opening the Strait of Hormuz and whether to implement a truce on the Lebanon front, where Israel's military operations are ongoing.
Military tensions also rose alongside the talks. U.S. Central Command said it "began setting conditions for mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz," and announced that two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers had transited the strait. In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that "warships attempting to pass through the strait will face a strong response."
Iranian state and local media reported that the two sides are scheduled to resume talks on the 12th and said "serious differences emerged on some issues."