US-Iran ceasefire: JD Vance says 21-hour talks end without deal - key takeaways

US Vice President JD Vance said negotiations between the United States and Iran ended after 21 hours in Islamabad without reaching an agreement, following Tehran’s refusal to accept Washington’s terms on nuclear restrictions.

He said the US was seeking an “affirmative commitment” that Iran would not pursue nuclear weapons, calling it the “core goal” of President Donald Trump.

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Constant White House contact during talks

Vance said he remained in continuous communication with President Trump and senior officials throughout the talks.

He said he spoke with Trump “a half dozen” to “a dozen times” during the negotiations, and also consulted top officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper.

US presents “final and best offer”

Standing alongside envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Vance said Washington had delivered its concluding proposal to Tehran.

“We leave here with a very simple proposal… our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it,” he said.

He departed Pakistan shortly after addressing reporters.

Talks held “in good faith” despite deadlock

Vance said the US delegation engaged “in good faith” but said Iran ultimately did not accept American terms.

“We just could not get to a situation where the Iranians would accept our terms,” he said.

He added that the outcome was “bad news for Iran much more than… the United States”.

Vice President JD Vance gives an update in Pakistan:

"The simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon." pic.twitter.com/il4THN5DwV

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 12, 2026

Key takeaways from Vance’s remarks

• Talks in Islamabad lasted 21 hours but ended without an agreement to halt the war

• “We’ve had a number of substantive discussions… but we have not reached an agreement,” Vance said, calling it “bad news for Iran much more than… the United States”

• “We just could not get to a situation where the Iranians would accept our terms,” he said

• He thanked Pakistan’s leadership, praising Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for facilitating the talks

• Any shortcomings “wasn’t because of the Pakistanis, who did an amazing job”

• Halting Iran’s nuclear capability remains Trump’s “core goal”

• Trump was closely involved, speaking with Vance “a half dozen” to “a dozen times” during negotiations

• The US reiterated its position: “our final and best offer”

Pakistan praised for mediating role

Vance thanked Pakistan’s leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying any shortcomings in the process were not due to the host nation.

He described Pakistan’s facilitation as “an amazing job” in helping bring both sides to the table.

Core dispute remains nuclear programme

The central sticking point remained Iran’s nuclear programme, with the US insisting on verifiable limits to prevent any path to a weapon.

Iran maintains its programme is peaceful, while Washington continues to demand long-term guarantees against weaponisation.

What comes next

Despite the breakdown, US officials indicated the proposal remains on the table, leaving the door open for Iran to respond.

It remains unclear whether the fragile ceasefire framework will hold or whether tensions will escalate further after the talks’ collapse.