Pakistan PM: Iran-US Talks Are Not Over, Just 'At an Impasse'
Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif said on April 12 that Iran-US talks are "at an impasse," not over, as Islamabad vowed to continue mediating. Foreign Minister Dar confirmed Pakistan would facilitate further dialogue between Tehran and Washington.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - As the dust settled on the collapsed Islamabad negotiations and the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepened, Pakistan's leadership pushed back firmly on Sunday against any suggestion that diplomacy had run its course. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told CBS News' Face the Nation that the Iran-US peace talks had not ended — they were simply stuck.
"The negotiations are not over — they are currently at an impasse," Sharif said, in remarks that signaled Islamabad's determination to keep the diplomatic channel open despite the breakdown of the first direct round of talks between Washington and Tehran.
Pakistan's foreign minister doubles down
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reinforced the message, stating in a separate announcement that Pakistan would continue in the coming days to facilitate dialogue and communication between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States. He also highlighted the role played by Army Chief Asim Munir, who he said had been instrumental in navigating several rounds of intensive and constructive negotiations that concluded Sunday morning.
Where things stand
US Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, had confirmed earlier Sunday that the round of talks had concluded without an agreement, citing persistent disagreements — particularly over Iran's nuclear program. He said Iran had rejected what Washington described as its "final and best offer."
The talks followed a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan after weeks of conflict between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other. Islamabad is now working to encourage both parties toward a comprehensive diplomatic resolution, even as tensions over the Strait of Hormuz — and Trump's subsequent naval blockade order — have sharply raised the stakes for any future engagement.
The background to Sunday's diplomatic maneuvering was detailed in Kurdistan24's earlier reporting on the IRGC's declaration of full control over the Strait of Hormuz and ADNOC chief Sultan Jaber's rebuke of Iran's conduct, with 800 commercial vessels stranded and 10 crew members killed since Feb. 28.