TEHRAN (Kashmir English): Iran has said that its recent high-level talks with the United States in Islamabad were close to producing an agreement before ultimately breaking down.
According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Tehran engaged in the negotiations “in good faith” to end the ongoing conflict, describing the discussions as the highest-level engagement between the two countries in nearly five decades.
He stated that the two sides were “inches away” from finalizing what was being referred to as an Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), but talks collapsed due to what he called “maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade” by the US.
The remarks came after marathon negotiations in Islamabad failed to reach a breakthrough, despite lasting more than 20 hours and involving top-level delegations from both sides.
Key disagreements reportedly included Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and control over the Strait of Hormuz, which remains a major point of contention.
Following the failed talks, tensions remain high, with both sides blaming each other for the breakdown while leaving the door open for possible future diplomacy.
