Iran, US differ on “two to three key issues” in Islamabad talks
High-level negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad have ended without an agreement after nearly a full day of talks, with both sides offering sharply different accounts of the outcome, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the two sides had “reached an understanding on a number of issues” but still had “differences of opinion on two to three important” matters.
According to Baghaei, the negotiations "were held in the atmosphere of mistrust and suspicions."
“It is natural that we should not have expected from the beginning to reach an agreement within one meeting. No one expected that either,” he said.
The negotiations took place against the backdrop of deep disagreements over Iran’s nuclear programme. While Tehran has indicated it is willing to reaffirm that it will not develop nuclear weapons, US officials are pushing for broader restrictions, including giving up any nuclear programme altogether.
The failure to reach a deal comes amid continued tensions across the region. Iran has rejected US claims that two of its vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any attempt by foreign military ships to pass through the waterway would trigger a “strong response.”
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that no agreement was reached between the United States and Iran in the latest round of talks held in Islamabad.