US Vice-President J D Vance has left Pakistan following unsuccessful efforts to reach an agreement in discussions related to Iran, according to official statements made after the conclusion of the talks.
After informing participants that negotiations with Iran had failed to produce a settlement, the US Vice-President departed Islamabad for Washington aboard Air Force Two. He travelled alongside members of the US delegation. Before the aircraft took off, Mr Vance was seen waving from the aircraft steps.
The departure came shortly after the conclusion of the so-called ‘Islamabad talks’, a trilateral dialogue hosted in Pakistan. The discussions began on Saturday afternoon (11 April) and continued for approximately 21 hours, ending on Sunday morning (12 April, local time). The meeting was convened in Islamabad with Pakistan acting as a host for the talks.
Following the conclusion of the negotiations, Mr Vance held a press conference in which he summarised the outcome. He stated that the parties had engaged in extensive discussions over the 21-hour period, describing them as significant in scope. However, he confirmed that no agreement had been reached.
He further noted that the United States had attended the talks in what he described as good faith, and characterised the American approach as flexible and constructive. Despite this, he indicated that the inability of the parties to reach consensus resulted in the absence of any formal agreement, which he described as an unfortunate outcome.
The sequence of events, as presented, indicates that the press briefing by the US Vice-President immediately preceded his departure from Islamabad. No further details regarding the content of the negotiations or specific points of disagreement were disclosed in the statement provided.
Timeline of Events
| Timeframe | Event |
|---|---|
| Saturday (11 April), afternoon | Trilateral ‘Islamabad talks’ begin in Pakistan |
| Approximately 21 hours later | Discussions conclude on Sunday morning (12 April) |
| Following conclusion | US Vice-President J D Vance holds press conference |
| Immediately after | Announcement made that no agreement was reached |
| Shortly thereafter | Departure from Islamabad aboard Air Force Two |
| Pre-takeoff | Mr Vance waves from aircraft steps |
The talks, as described, formed part of a diplomatic engagement hosted in Islamabad involving multiple parties. However, the final outcome remained unresolved, with the US Vice-President confirming the absence of any negotiated settlement before his departure for Washington.