Negotiations between the United States and Iran have paused for now following a series of talks held in Islamabad, Iran’s government said early Sunday, after discussions aimed at ending the six-week conflict between the two countries.
The meetings marked the first direct engagement between Washington and Tehran in more than a decade and the highest-level talks since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
According to Iranian authorities, the discussions lasted around 14 hours, after which both sides agreed to exchange documents through technical experts. “Negotiations will continue despite some remaining differences,” a government statement said, without specifying when talks would resume.
The outcome of the negotiations is seen as critical to the fate of the fragile two-week ceasefire and the potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—a key global energy route that handles about 20% of the world’s oil trade and has been blocked since the conflict began.
The war has significantly disrupted global energy markets, driving up oil prices and increasing economic uncertainty worldwide.
Senior U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, met with Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi during the talks, according to sources. The U.S. administration has yet to issue an official statement on the outcome.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high around the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military said it is preparing conditions to secure the waterway, including mine-clearing efforts, while Iran has denied reports of U.S. naval movements through the strait.
Key sticking points in the negotiations reportedly include Iran’s demands for the release of frozen assets, control and transit rights in the Strait of Hormuz, and broader ceasefire arrangements across the region. The United States, in contrast, is seeking to ensure free passage for global shipping and limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Despite the temporary halt in talks, both sides have signalled a willingness to continue negotiations, though mutual distrust remains a significant obstacle.