Deal was just inches away but… why talks with US failed, explains Iran foreign minister

Tehran (The Uttam Hindu): Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on April 13 that a deal between Iran and the United States was “just inches away,” but the negotiations collapsed at the last moment due to additional demands, shifting positions, and obstacles. His statement came a day after high-level talks held in Islamabad aimed at reducing tensions in West Asia ended without any concrete outcome.

Araghchi said on social media platform X that Iran had engaged in talks with the US at such a high level for the first time in nearly 50 years with the intention of ending the conflict. He stated that when both sides were close to finalizing the “Islamabad MoU,” the process was disrupted by excessive demands, changing goals, and barriers. However, he did not specify the exact issues that led to the breakdown.

Earlier, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated that the possibility of a deal is still open. He said that if the United States respects Iran’s rights and moves away from what he described as a rigid approach, an agreement could still be reached.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that Iran participated in the talks with the intention of reaching an agreement but lacked trust in the other side. He added that the Iranian delegation presented forward-looking proposals, but the US failed to build confidence.

Overall, the Islamabad talks ended without a formal agreement, although both sides have not ruled out the possibility of future negotiations.