The talks in Pakistan were plagued by a serious crisis over disagreements over Iran's nuclear program, which prevented the parties from reaching a major agreement. Washington's main demand was a complete cessation of uranium enrichment for at least 20 years, as well as the removal of all the already accumulated highly enriched material from the country. It was reported by Axios, citing sources familiar with the negotiation process.
"The U.S. proposed that Iran accept a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment during negotiations in Islamabad over the weekend, according to a U.S. official and a source with knowledge," one of the sources confirmed, noting that Tehran agreed to a shorter period, measured in a "single digit."
The situation escalated after a press conference by US Vice President JD Vance, who accused the Iranian side of a destructive position and announced the departure of the American delegation from Islamabad. This came as a surprise to Iranian representatives, who believed that they were approaching an initial agreement. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Vance confirmed to him in a telephone conversation that the key stumbling block remains the issue of removing enriched uranium and guaranteeing the absence of new developments in the coming years.
Despite the diplomatic tensions, Pakistani, Egyptian and Turkish mediators are trying to find a compromise before the April 21 deadline for the current truce.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan suggested that the parties could consider extending the ceasefire for 45-60 days to allow for further dialogue. He warned that if the nuclear issue turns into an "all or nothing" format, the negotiations could reach a final deadlock.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on April 12, the Central Command of the US Armed Forces announced the creation of a new safe route for ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
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