Pakistani Say Efforts to Launch Iran-U.S. Talks Have Failed

Pakistan’s behind-the-scenes effort to help bring Iran and the United States to the negotiating table has stalled, according to Pakistani media reports citing officials in Islamabad, underscoring the difficulty of diplomacy as the regional conflict continues to deepen. The reports say at least two separate attempts to arrange contact between the two sides failed to move forward despite weeks of indirect engagement.

A senior Pakistani official familiar with the contacts told local media that a high-level U.S. delegation, reportedly led by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, had twice been prepared to travel to Islamabad for talks involving Iranian representatives. According to the account, both efforts advanced close to a final stage, but Iran ultimately requested more time for internal consultations and did not send a delegation.

The reports suggest Islamabad has been disappointed by the lack of movement, even as Pakistani officials say they understand Iran’s hesitation given the ongoing military escalation and deep mistrust surrounding any negotiation process. Pakistan has in recent days tried to position itself as a neutral intermediary, offering its capital as a possible venue for talks and relaying messages between Washington and Tehran.

At the same time, Pakistan has sought to distance itself from moves it believes could further inflame the crisis. According to the reports, Islamabad opposed proposals for a multinational force in the Strait of Hormuz, viewing such a step as provocative, and also stayed away from a British-hosted meeting on reopening maritime traffic through the strategic waterway. Officials reportedly framed those decisions as part of Pakistan’s broader policy of de-escalation and neutrality.

Pakistan has publicly said both Washington and Tehran have shown confidence in Islamabad’s ability to help facilitate dialogue, and senior Pakistani officials have repeatedly argued that a diplomatic channel remains necessary despite the deteriorating military situation.

The diplomatic push comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the crisis, with global concern growing over energy supplies, shipping security and the risk that a wider confrontation could drag more regional states into the conflict.

For now, Pakistan’s mediation effort appears to remain alive but frozen, reflecting both the urgency of the crisis and the limited room for diplomacy while fighting and strategic distrust continue.

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