Islamabad Talks Collapse After 21 Hours: EU Calls for Diplomacy as Iran Vows Oil Sector Recovery
The Islamabad talks collapsed on April 12 after 21 hours without a deal, with Vance confirming the US delegation had left Pakistan. The EU urged renewed diplomacy while Iran said most damaged refineries would resume operations within two months.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - They talked for 21 hours. They left without a deal. On the morning of Sunday, US Vice President JD Vance stood before reporters in Islamabad and confirmed what many had feared: the first direct Iran-US negotiations since the ceasefire had ended without a breakthrough, and the American delegation was heading home to Washington.
"The delegations of Washington and Tehran negotiated for 21 hours, but did not reach an agreement acceptable to both sides," Vance said at a press conference in the Pakistani capital. He added that the US side had put forward what it considered its best offer to the Iranian delegation, but declined to disclose further details of the substance of the proposals.
The US delegation departed Islamabad shortly after the announcement.
EU acknowledges failure, calls for diplomacy
The European Union was swift to respond. Spokesperson Anwar el-Oun said diplomacy remains essential to resolving the conflict in the Middle East, acknowledging the collapse of the Pakistan talks and expressing gratitude to Islamabad for its mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran. He emphasized that the EU would work in coordination with its partners to push for renewed efforts toward a resolution, and that the bloc remains committed to a diplomatic path forward.
Iran: most refineries back online within two months
As the diplomatic picture darkened, Tehran moved to project economic resilience. Deputy Oil Minister Mohammad-Sadeq Azimifar told Iranian media on Sunday that the country expects most of its damaged oil refining and distribution facilities to resume operations within one to two months, with repair work already underway.
Azimifar said the plan is for those facilities to operate at between 70% and 80% of their pre-strike capacity — part of Tehran's broader effort to restore an energy infrastructure that bore the brunt of the US-Israeli campaign. He noted that part of the Lavan refinery is expected to come back online within 10 days, with other units and facilities returning to normal operation in a phased sequence afterward.